Oberammergau, Germany In the year 1634, the residents of the small town of Oberammergau in Germany made a collective pledge to God that if he would spare them from the plague which was then ravaging Central Europe, they would reciprocate by reenacting the Passion of Jesus Christ every ten years. The town was largely spared, and the villagers’ vow has since been fulfilled as … [Read more...]
MARDI GRAS OF CAJUN COUNTRY
New Roads, Lake Charles & Alexandria, Louisiana Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, is the mother of all religious celebrations (religious in the theoretical sense). Better known as Carnival, which refers to the entire week of celebrations, Mardi Gras began in ancient times as a prepatory feast for the Lenten season. But in the modern era, especially in the United States … [Read more...]
MESA ARIZONA EASTER PAGEANT
Mesa, Arizona Easter Pageants are an age-old tradition in the United States, with celebrations ranging from small presentations in community churches to large-scale Passion Plays. Among the longest-running and now by far the largest annual performance is the Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant. This production, organized by the Church of Latter Day Saints, has been around for … [Read more...]
GREAT PASSION PLAY
Eureka Springs, Arkansas Eureka Springs, Arkansas is home to a number of interesting Christian sites, largely a legacy of Gerald Smith. A prominent if controversial figure, Smith turned Eureka Springs into something of a religious vacation destination. Here he established a center with everything from a Bible Museum to the largest statue of Christ in the United States. … [Read more...]
HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE
Orlando, Florida The Holy Land Experience, located in the midst of Orlando’s theme-park belt, is a living museum of sorts dedicated to recreating life in Jerusalem as it might have been during the late Second Temple period. Although it has been criticized for ‘Disney’-fying Christianity and the life of Christ, it nevertheless offers a fascinating and unique window into the … [Read more...]
