Passion plays, in which people dramatically re-enact the trial, suffering and death of Jesus Christ at Easter, have a rich tradition in the South Bohemian town of Hořice na Šumave. The settlement was once the site of some of the largest passion plays in Europe. With the tradition having been revived over the past three decades, the town is now set to host a Europe-wide festival for passion reenactors and is even applying for its plays to be listed by UNESCO.
Lying on the foothills of the Bohemian Forrest, between the picturesque city of Český Krumlov and the Lipno reservoir, lies the small town of Hořice na Šumave. Its Gothic church, stone fountains and beautiful natural surroundings are likely to charm passersby, but those who take the time to get to know Hořice more closely will find that this municipality is far more special than its outward appearance suggests.
The town was once the site of one of the most important passion plays in Europe and, at its height, attracted tens of thousands of visitors from across the world. Ivo Janoušek, a native to the region who began to be interested in the local passion plays’ history while he was a student, explained to Czech Radio where the origins of this tradition began.
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Authors: Thomas McEnchroe, Ivan Studený