passion play

American  

Or Passion Play

noun

1. a dramatic representation of the passion of Christ, as that given every ten years at the Bavarian village of Oberammergau.

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Passion play British  

noun

1. a play depicting the Passion of Christ

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Etymology

Origin of passion play

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Snider’s slow, elegantly understated and, within bounds, reverential opera operates as much as a passion play as an opera.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 7, 2025

Philip Breen, who is responsible for the adaptation, first approached Mullan a number of years ago about an eight-hour passion play he envisaged with a community chorus.

From BBC • Mar. 21, 2025

“But we have an endless desire to bring our passion play back to the stage and we are highly motivated.”

From Seattle Times • May 7, 2022

Then it was a three minute drive over to the “Sabrina” set, where Shipka, outfitted in a flowing rose-gold wig, was starring in her witch school’s passion play.

From New York Times • Nov. 8, 2018

At the mosque of Zal Khan a passion play is performed yearly illustrative of the assassination of Hussein, the son of Ali.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 7 "Equation" to "Ethics" by Various