THE suffering and death of Christ and his resurrection was the theme of a powerful Passion play which drew hundreds to the heart of Worcester.

With cries of anguish and bloody wounds, the performers captured in poignant and sometimes visceral detail the betrayal, death by crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus during the play in Cathedral Square before Good Friday crowds.

The Bishop of Worcester, John Inge, was one of those crucified on three crosses set out on a large stage with the role of Jesus played by Ollie Ward.

The play vivified the story of the Gospels from Jesus' miracles - the healing of the lame and the sick - to his clashes with the Pharisees who scorned him as a false prophet to the reward offered for his arrest, his betrayal by Judas and the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate washing his hands of Christ's death.  

The passion play, which has its roots in medieval times, dramatised many of the key passages from The Bible, including Jesus' agonies on the cross as he cries out: "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."

 

 

The play finished with the risen Christ speaking to the disciples, urging them to repent and love their neighbours as themselves and reminding them that his spirit was in every one of them.

READ MORE: Worcester Passion play for Easter - live updates 

Director Tim Crow received a hug from his granddaughter who watched the play - the second one to be performed in the setting after it could not take place in 2020 because of the first Covid-19 lockdown.

Among those to attend were 'friends through Faith' Catherine Luxton, 66, and Sharon Stock, 53, of Peopleton.

Mrs Luxton said: "Jesus died for us, to save us, and Easter represents him rising again."

She described the events depicted as being of massive importance and said they had a 'tremendous meaning'.

Mrs Stock described the play as both 'moving' and 'personal'.

Ben Munyaneza, 37, of Lifehouse Worcester Elim Church said: "It was really powerful and moving.

"We saw it last year and it still felt fresh and there is still so much to take from it."