By Msgr. Steven Aguggia

Many people have heard of the famous Passion Play in Germany, performed once every 10 years. However, fewer people know about a similar Passion Play performed every five years in a small town in the Piedmont region of Northern Italy called Sordevolo.

Even though my family is from a town just nearby, it wasn’t until five years ago that I had the great pleasure of seeing this performance for the first time. It was a wonderful experience because it involved practically the entire town from its seniors to its youngest citizens.

Performed in a great outdoor theater, the play is the portrayal of the last days of Jesus. The action takes place on a beautiful set which encompasses the Upper Room and the Last Supper, the Court of Pontius Pilate and the hill of Calvary.

The townspeople are the actors. The performance is in Italian but even people who do not understand Italian have no problem following the action of the familiar story of Jesus’ Passion and death.

The experience of the play is a truly moving one. It brings alive the meaning of the suffering of Jesus. It is something that is truly unforgettable.

This year, the diocese is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Italy to experience this wonderful event. In September, Bishop Raymond Chappetto and I will accompany a group to Italy for the play. In addition to the play, we will visit Rome, Assisi and Padua as well as having a day to see beautiful Venice.

This is truly an experience not to be missed. The memories of the Passion Play will remain with you for a lifetime and bring new meaning to these most important events.

Editor’s Note: The diocesan pilgrimage to see The Passion Play in Sordevolo, Italy, is scheduled for Sept. 3-13. The tour group will also visit Rome, Assisi, Venice, Padua and the Piedmont region along with chaplains Msgr. Aguggia and Auxiliary Bishop Raymond Chappetto. For brochures and details, contact Nettie at Central Holidays, 1-800-935-5000 ext. 5244 or nriccardi@centralholidays.com