Lourdes playing Jesus Christ in the church’s ‘Passion’ play at Church of Our Lady of Good Health in Parit Buntar. —ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star
WITHIN minutes of calling for volunteers for the upcoming Passion play for the Good Friday service, eager beavers had filled up the cast list and pledged to help with backstage work.
Meleena Jane Winson, 38, who is director for the play, said parishioners at Church of Our Lady of Good Health in Parit Buntar, Perak, responded by taking up some 40 roles, including that of Jesus Christ and backstage helpers.
“We had a similar play last year on a smaller scale but this year, the response was overwhelming.
“Our parishioners are deeply passionate about being part of the Passion play,” she said during a full dress rehearsal at the church.
Meleena says response from parishioners to the Passion play this year was overwhelming.
Play adviser Manuel Philip Winson, 41, said the participants, aged between 13 and 65, spent about a week taking part in rehearsals and preparing the costumes, props and background music.
“Through each rehearsal, we improved our performance and received valuable input from our new parish priest Rev Father Martin Arlando, who assumed his duties on March 1,” he said.
Lourdes Nasimuthu, 51, who is playing the role of Jesus for the second year, said this time there was additional make-up work to reflect the wounds on Jesus’ body from the torturous whippings that he underwent.
“I also have to carry a 60kg life-sized wooden cross and wear a crown made of lemon tree thorns to make the play more realistic,” he said, adding that he hoped the play would touch the hearts of church-goers, especially the younger generation.
Manuel says those taking part in the Passion play spent about a week in rehearsals and preparing costumes, props and background music.
Abbygiall Jerry, 14, who plays the role of one of the women in Jerusalem, said she watched Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ, several times to get ideas on suitable clothing for her character.
Selvanathan Sebastian, 58, who plays the role of the high priest, said he was impressed with the parishioners’ hard work and cooperation to make it a success.
Father Martin said he felt encouraged seeing the parishioners’ enthusiasm in wanting to be involved in church activities.
“The school-going youths surprised us by getting both young and adult parishioners to join in six programmes during the 40-day Lenten period.
Father Martin says he is encouraged seeing the parishioners’ enthusiasm in wanting to be involved in church activities.
“They did a vigil service, gotong-royong, mural painting, gardening, blood donation drive and distributed food to the poor,” he said.
The 45-minute play in Tamil will be performed during the reading of the Gospel of John at the church’s Good Friday service at 3pm tomorrow.
Christians observe Good Friday to commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion, while Easter Sunday, which falls on April 9, marks his resurrection.
