Hope Together : Easter Festivals and Passion Plays

Easter Festivals and Passion Plays

All kinds of Christians are joining together to host Easter festivals or put on public Passion performances in the heart of their town or city.

A great way to share Good news.

Christ in the Centre – Leicester (6th April). A dramatic presentation of Christ’s teaching, trial, passion, crucifixion and resurrection follows a procession down the High Street to Humberstone Gate. Audiences approaching 10,000, in the centre of the city, gather to watch the compelling performance each year. Christ in the Centre

Andover Passion - 6th April The Andover Passion brings churches together for the central weekend of the Christian calendar, graphically recreating scenes of the crucifixion in the high st. Producer Sharon O’Leary, said: “Christians can achieve a lot when they concentrate on the essential truths they share.” Andover Passion.

Passion at Trafalgar Square (6th April) Wintershall Players have performed an adapted version of the Passion to thousands on Good Friday since 2012 at the heart of the Capital in Trafalgar Square, London. Peter Hutley, Script writer, said: “We demonstrate publicly our Christian faith to illustrate the benefits of faith in God.” passionofjesus-trafalgar.co.uk

Lancaster – Easter Festival of HOPE (7th April ) Lancaster churches, under the HOPE banner, are taking over the square outside the town hall for a huge celebration including singers, bands, activities, shows, free food, and a prayer and healing tent. All attending with be given an invitation to a Sunday service in a local church. Easter Festival of HOPE

Aberdeen Passion – One Life Given (6-7th April). A traditional telling of the final week of Jesus Christ’s life performed by cast and crew from Aberdeen and the North East. Written and directed by Andrew Sykes, an Aberdeen local. Those involved are both Christian and non-Christian, drawn together by the amazing story. aberdeenpassion.com

Brighton - Soul by the Sea Easter festival: 7th-8th April. Hosting Christian bands and artists and incorporating a flash mob and a spectacular reprise of the Passion of Christ play that caused such a positive reaction on Brighton seafront in 2011. Local churches take ownership of the event by putting on a variety of Fringe events as part of the festival. Read more about Soul by the Sea.

Kendal Passion Play: 6th

2012’s Passion Play is the first to be performed on the streets of central Kendal for 400 years and will take place at various well known places through the town. Put on by Kendal community theatre, it is supported by local organisations and Kendal Churches Together. Kendal Passion blog.

Leominster Passion play (April 6th)

The processional performance across 12 locations presents key events from Holy Week in a manner that the people of Jerusalem might have experienced over 2000 years ago. Churches Together organisers hope onlookers will talk about what they've seen and be linked with a church. leominsterpassionplay.co.uk

The BBC Preston Passion (6th April) A live BBC One programme will be a Southampton Passion

contemporary and dramatic re-telling of the Passion story and feature performance and innovative drama. It will be broadcast live from the centre of Preston. Three specially written filmed dramas are inspired by the real lives of Preston people through history and today. HOPE for Easter

Preston Passion

Check out our quick Easter mission ideas to get inspiration on how you can celebrate an outward looking Easter. We have some tips on communicating the Easter message to others too. Get our HOPE for Easter resource with creative mission ideas or try the Table Talk course and game to get to know what your family and friends feel about the things that matter.

Lucy Cooper, 13/03/2012