Every year at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Riverside a group of parishioners meet twice a week during Lent to practice for the passion play presentation on Good Friday. Many of the actors have been involved in the passion play for years.
“We do this to relay a message to the community, so that they can see what happened at that time,” said Hugo Vergara, a parishioner who will be playing one of Pontius Pilate’s soldiers.
“We want to remind them that this isn’t a time to be sad but a happy time because Jesus gave himself for us voluntarily,” said Joseph Magallanes from St. John the Evangelist.
Offering the passion play, or something similar, at the parish sometimes draws people who wouldn’t normally come to church during the week. While parishioners may be captivated by the dramatic rendition of the last days of Jesus, the actors find their faith is strengthened by their participation as well.
“Personally this helps me reflect,” said Juan Antonio Rivas, a parishioner from St. John the Evangelist. “I find myself reflecting and praying the sorrowful mysteries more and submitting myself to serving Him in the church,”
Some parishes have youth or youth ministry groups produce passion plays. Our Lady of the Assumption parish in San Bernardino relies on the youth from the school to perform. This year the school will present the passion play twice on Tuesday of Holy Week. The student council and classroom representatives from kindergarten to eighth grade will perform the living Stations of the Cross.
Last year, during the Diocesan Youth Day, a group of youth came together to provide a dramatic rendition of the Stations of the Cross.
“I just remember praying for saying yes,” said Eddie Coronado, a parishioner at St. Anthony Parish in San Jacinto who assumed the role of Jesus in the Youth Day reenactment. “It changes your view of how much Jesus went through. I was very blessed for being able to experience that.”
The San Bernardino City parishes usually unite to organize a live Stations of the Cross event in downtown San Bernardino. This year, however the parishes were not able to do so.
Other parishes are looking for new ways of presenting the passion play so that it may reach more people.
St. Joseph Parish in Fontana has offered a passion play for many years. Headed mostly by the parish’s Hispanic Ministry, the group sets up an elaborate presentation in the parish’s gymnasium. This year the format will change from a play to a live Stations of the Cross enactment along with prayers being recited in multiple languages.
Organizers hope the new format will be more inclusive to the parish’s several cultural communities.
“It’s my way of following my Lord and getting to know him more,” said Nicholas Lemos, a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist, Riverside. “I wish to relay His message to my brothers and sisters who have forgotten about our lord.”