Faith Travels: Oberammergau
The Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany is a terrific faith travel destination for families. Attending the play with my family was the highlight of our trip to Europe in July. And the history of the play is beautiful. Since 1633, the people of this small village have stayed true their forefather’s pledge to honor God for His protection during a plague. “Faced with the great distress that the terrible illness inflicted upon the population, the leaders of the community came together and pledged to hold a passion tragedy once every ten years. From this day forward, not a single person perished, even though a great number of them still showed signs of the plague”.1 Every decade, the people of Oberammergau share the play with the world. The 2020 Passion Play had been postponed to 2022 because of Covid-19.
The play is a five-hour production with a dinner intermission. The orchestra, choir, and soloists set the stage for each scene. Living images from the Old Testament wove the Bible together as one book, focused on Jesus as Lord and Savior. The entire production is in German. Even though the events of Passion Week, the Triumphal Entry to the Resurrection, are well known to the four of us, it was helpful to have the script in English.
Because ravel is a great way to connect with family members outside of the typical routine. Scott and I love to travel with the our sons! Concentrated family time is a gift. To hike in Switzerland, explore Rothenburg au der Tauber, and attend the Passion Play, we built new family memories. The play was an infusion of faith into our European adventure with our sons.
In Faithful Grandparenting: Practical Ideas for Connecting the Generations, Carol and I share a number of ideas for fun family adventures. So, consider how you can connect with your children and grandchildren on a family trip. The memories are a gift!
© 2022 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.
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1. The History of the Passion Play https://www.passionsspiele-oberammergau.de/en/play/history