The Passion Play

by Mary E. Gentges

"CRUCIFY HIM! Crucify Him!" Hurry up you Romans! Keep Him moving!"

These harsh shouts of a frenzied mob rang out above the clatter of horses' hooves and the dull scrape of heavy crosses dragging on pavement. The angry sounds broke the usual peace of a summer evening on St. Mary's campus, and aroused a certain fear—until one realized that it was only a group of students, teachers and parishioners practicing for the dramatization of the 1986 Passion Play.

The deeply moving play was a highlight of this year's "St. Mary's Pilgrimage"—three days of spiritual activities honoring Our Lady's Assumption. The event has been bringing pilgrims from around the country to St. Mary's since it was first held in 1979.

The large-scale dramatization of Our Lord's Crucifixion required the coordinated efforts of parishioners and students of St. Mary's, as well as the help of several seminarians from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in Ridgefield, Connecticut. The Society of St. Pius X seminarians, some of whom are former students of St. Mary's Academy and College, were given permission to help in this effort for the greater honor and glory of God. Much sacrifice of time and effort went into the preparation of the Play.

Todd Angele, a graduate of St. Mary's Academy and now a seminarian at Ridgefield, spent his summer vacation coordinating all preparations for the Play and directing it. He again played the part of Christ, a role he filled twice in past performances at St. Mary's, the last being Holy Week of 1984. Excellent work of making costumes was done by parish ladies and students, who also did a convincing job of applying makeup and beards to the players.

Minutes before the Play was performed on Thursday morning, August 14, the large room above the campus theater was astir with Roman soldiers, bearded Pharisees, and long-robed Israelites. One felt like walking up to bearded characters and saying, "Who are you?" for it was difficult to recognize one's fellow parishioners!

Just before curtain time, Father DeLallo called the forty-plus players onstage and introduced them to the audience. They truly appeared to be a group of people of Biblical times, and when the last actor introduced came forward to take his place—for it was the Christ—the effect was stunning.

The first scenes of the play took place in the theater where the meek Savior stood silently before His accusers—the members of the High Council—while enduring the taunts of the paunchy Caiphas (played by seminarian Karl Pikus—with padding added!). When Jesus finally spoke, to acknowledge that He was the Son of God, the enraged Caiphas tore his robes with a loud rip!

In Act II, Judas, played by Thomas Hughes, dramatically gave vent to his feelings of despair, and returned to the High Council to fling down the ill-gotten thirty pieces of silver. In an agony of despair, noose in hand, Judas fled from the stage.

The Third Act saw the Christ—by now scourged, covered with bloody welts, and crowned with thorns—brought before Pilate. During this tableau, as Christ stood with Roman soldiers all round Him, the voices of the St. Mary's Choir could be heard singing the hymn, "O Sacred Head Surrounded by a Crown of Piercing Thorn."

In moments, Pilate had released the animal-like Barabbas to his cheering friends, washed his hands, and delivered the ringing words, "Then take Him out and crucify Him!"

From this point in the St. Mary's Play—unlike Passion Plays given entirely on a stage—the audience became a part of the drama, making up the crowd following Christ to Calvary. All exited the theater and followed the soldiers who were forcing Christ down the stairs and outdoors to the courtyard where the crosses were waiting.

Sulkily, the two thieves shouldered their crosses. Then the Christ, led by a Roman centurion, took up His Cross. Other foot-soldiers flanked the condemned, and a mounted soldier brought up the rear. As the procession moved out, bystanders who glanced upward had an unexpected shock when they caught sight of Judas hanging from a tree!

During this "Way of the Cross," each of the Stations was re-enacted. The actors stepped from the crowd naturally, as though a part of it. The weeping Mother Mary, portrayed by 1986 Academy graduate Renay Fryzelka, met and looked upon her suffering Son. The burly Simon of Cyrene was picked out of the crowd to take up the heavy Cross when Christ grew too weak to proceed. Veronica came forth to wipe His face. A little group of holy women, made up of students, mothers, little children, and babes-in-arms, waited at a bend in the road and went weeping to meet Christ. If the baby actors cried, it only added realism to the Play.

All along the way, and at each fall, Christ's enemies taunted Him and shouted at the soldiers to hurry Him on. At the last fall, Christ sprawled in a muddy spot, unable to rise for some while.

The route to Calvary followed the road "up the hill" to the upper campus where the road divides around a little knoll—the perfect Calvary. On arrival there, the weary Christ was flung on the ground to await His turn to be crucified.

The dull clang of hammers rang out; the soldiers stepped aside; and the crowd witnessed the blood flowing from Christ's pierced hands. With Roman precision the crosses bearing their human victims were erected quickly and the wedges driven to steady them in their holes. Without pause, Christ's enemies kept up a constant stream of verbal abuse.

While the Sorrowful Mother, Magdalen and St. John stayed at the foot of the Cross, and the Holy Women wept nearby, Christ expressed His Seven Last Words. Overhead, the threatening clouds that had hung low all morning continued to gather. Christ forgave the dying thief; He cried in agony, "I thirst!" At last, looking up to the dark sky, He exclaimed, "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." At this dramatic moment, as He bowed His head and died, a light rain fell from the grey sky.

Soon the order was given to break the legs of the thieves. The side of Christ was pierced; one by one the bodies were taken down from the crosses. Christ was placed in the arms of His Mother and the Play ended in an unforgettable scene of the Pieta while the Stabat Mater was sung.

The purpose of the Play, as expressed in the program was: "not primarily to entertain us, as spectators, but rather to help us to understand the sufferings of Our Lord and Our Lady during His passion. Would that through this Play we might understand the gravity of sin, feel remorse for those sins we have committed, take up our cross, and follow Our Lord." The silent attention of the audience as they stood watching the Crucifixion scenes was indicative of how much they had entered into the spirit of the Play. Certainly after witnessing it, one was left with a feeling of having glimpsed some of what Christ suffered.

It is planned to make the Passion Play a part of the Pilgrimage each year. Meanwhile, thanks to the generosity of the head of a local advertising agency who loaned equipment and personnel to film the play, and to a local TV station who donated footage they shot, a videotape of the play is in the planning stages of preparation. An announcement will be made when it is available.

Other Events of the Pilgrimage

Pilgrims were kept "on the go" in order to attend all the scheduled events of the 1986 Pilgrimage. With several visiting priests on campus, each day there were several Masses available, Confession frequently available, and the Divine Office was chanted in the chapel.

The new video tape tour of St. Mary's drew a continual audience as it played in the Hospitality Room where pilgrims stopped for lunch and snacks. The inspiring 25-minute tour covers the spiritual life, school life and extracurricular activities that make up St. Mary's Academy, College, and parish. Meant primarily to help persons in chapel across America to get a better understanding of what St. Mary's is all about, the tape can also be most helpful to parents who are considering sending their children to St. Mary's as boarding students. Anyone interested in obtaining a copy should contact the Administration Office, St. Mary's Academy & College, Box 159, St. Marys, Kansas 66536, or call (913) 437-2471.

This year seminarian Mr. Paul Tague gave a conference to pilgrims on the subject of various vocations. Fr. Gavin Bitzer's conference on the subject, "The Holy Eucharist," left pilgrims with great food for thought concerning how to better prepare to receive the Holy Eucharist and make thanksgiving afterwards. As requested by pilgrims, a tape of this conference and of talks given by Fr. DeLallo during the pilgrimage is available.

On the afternoon of the Vigil of the Assumption, the Blessed Sacrament was carried in solemn procession across the campus, with pauses at outdoor altars for Benediction. The threatening clouds of earlier had given way to a radiant sky, so that the sun glinted on the gold of the monstrance and the copes of the priests and servers as the procession wended its way along the leafy green paths of the campus.

That evening the "living Rosary" was recited. Parishioners and students of St. Mary's who made up the "beads" of the Rosary filed into the darkened chapel. The "Hail Marys" were wearing blue robes and carrying lighted blue vigil lights while the "Our Fathers" were dressed in white. They formed a living Rosary in the out aisles of the chapel, surrounding the pilgrims who were kneeling in the pews. Their vigil lights were all extinguished; then, during the recitation of the Rosary, each person led his Hail Mary and re-lighted his votive candle, so that by the end of the Rosary, the chapel was encircled with glowing lights. Then, singing hymns in honor of Our Lady, all went in procession out to the front driveway and stood encircling Our Lady's statue where the glowing rosary of lights was placed on the ground around her. Afterwards, pilgrims could visit the lighted Lourdes grotto nearby.

On the Feast of the Assumption, after the glorious Solemn High Mass, Father Bitzer, who was recently ordained, gave his individual "First Blessing" to the pilgrims. That afternoon, following the ceremony of Total Consecration to the Blessed Virgin in the chapel, there was a procession to Our Lady's statue outdoors and crowning of Mary. The children—girls in pastel dresses, and boys in servers' cassock and surplice—knelt on either side of the statue of Our Lady while traditional Marian hymns were sung. The Litany of the Blessed Virgin was intoned in Latin with the pilgrims responding "ora pro nobis." Solemn Vespers and Benediction followed in the chapel.

After a delicious banquet prepared by the cafeteria crew and served to about 200 people, Father DeLallo gave a short but beautiful talk on Christian Charity. Then all retired to McCabe Theater to enjoy a showing of the classic film, "Song of Bernadette."

The following morning, after Holy Mass, the pilgrims headed home once again as the Eighth St. Mary's Pilgrimage came to a close.

Summer vacation for seminarians? Although they appear to be running a barber shop, these SSPX seminarians are actually having a beard fitting session in preparation for the Passion Play. They came to St. Mary's to help with the Pilgrimage and the Play. Left to right they are Tom Hughes, Paul Tauge, Todd Angele and Karl Pikus.

Seminarians Tom Hughes and Paul Tague are both former St. Mary's College students. Tom gave a dramatic performance as Judas in the Passion Play; Paul directed the singing of the Gregorian Scola at all the liturgical ceremonies of the Pilgrimage and played the part of Joshua, one of the Scribes and Pharisees.