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Centuries-old passion play returns after pandemic break

Rochus Rueckel as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Frederik Mayet as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. More than 1800 citizens of this Bavarian village participate in the century-old play of the suffering of Christ, staged every ten years and dating back to 1634. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus, left, performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. More than 1800 citizens of this Bavarian village participate in the century-old play of the suffering of Christ, staged every ten years and dating back to 1634. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Frederik Mayet as Jesus, center, performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus, left, performs with the cast during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) A cast member performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Frederik Mayet as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus, left, performs with cast members during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Frederik Mayet as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus performs during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus performs with cast members during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. More than 1800 citizens of this Bavarian village participate in the century-old play of the suffering of Christ, staged every ten years and dating back to 1634. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus performs with cast members during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. More than 1800 citizens of this Bavarian village participate in the century-old play of the suffering of Christ, staged every ten years and dating back to 1634. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus peforms with cast members during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. The town did suffer some COVID-19 deaths, but the show goes on. Almost half of the village's residents— more than 1,800 people including 400 children — will participate. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader) Rochus Rueckel as Jesus and cast members perform during the rehearsal of the 42nd Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, Wednesday, May 4, 2022. After a two-year delay due to the coronavirus, Germany's famous Oberammergau Passion Play is opening soon. The play dates back to 1634, when Catholic residents of a small Bavarian village vowed to perform a play of the last days of Jesus Christ every 10 years, if only God would spare them of any further Black Death victims. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)