Passion Play audience is moved to tears
Emotional scenes in town church
Audience members wept openly as Jesus was put on the cross during the outdoor Passion of Christ play staged by Hamilton churches.
The ambitious project saw the events of Holy Week being staged each day, bringing the Easter story to life in the town’s streets.
And over 350 people watched the re-telling of the crucifixion on Friday.
Liz Blackman, the wife of Reverend Ross Blackman from the Old Parish, worked hard with the cast during rehearsals.
She said: “Emotions peaked on Friday night with the inclusion of three scenes. The first allowed the Old Parish graveyard to represent the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed fervently for his followers.
“Inside, the church became the temple courts. Jesus was tried by the High Priest, found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death.
“Finally, audience members wept openly as they watched Jesus crucified at the rear of the Old Parish church, beside the Netherton Cross, believed to be one of Scotland’s most important Christian relics, in front of his grieving mother.
“Jesus was then entombed inside the church and the stone secured in place.”
And she added: “On Sunday, from dawn, three scenes saw Jesus resurrected from the dead, back with his followers and encouraging them to tell others about him.
“The church door was transformed into a grave mouth, with the stone rolled away, and the communion table bore the abandoned grave clothes.
“The dramatisations, interwoven with worship led by a wide variety of preachers, presented a great opportunity for the churches to work together to give something new to Hamilton.”
The churches of Hamilton have created a tradition of coming together during Holy Week, rotating the host. This year was the turn of the Old Kirk, and they decided that they wanted to do something a bit different.
Reverend Blackman said: “We are not spectators, we are part of the story.”
Over 30 people made up the cast, drawn from Hamilton Old Parish, St John’s Parish and Cadzow Parish. Professional actor Duncan Rennie played Jesus, while St Mary’s Episcopal Church and South Parish supplied some extras.
Audience members were moved by the production, with Siobhan Gosling saying: “Wonderful. Words can’t describe it.”
Wendy Hay added: “Wonderful and very moving. Well done all involved.”
You can go online to www.facebook.com/ Passionplaylanarkshire to look at how the play was put together.