The Passion Play, Iztapalapa, Mexico

The Passion Play of Iztapalapa, Mexico, is a community-sponsored annual event that has run continuously since 1843. The Passion Play is unique for several elements: a cast of over 5,000 community members with 150 speaking roles (despite pressure, only borough residents are allowed to participate); locally-produced sets, costumes, props, etc.; and a reliance on non-Scriptural sources for some of its material, including, reportedly, Dante’s Divine Comedy. See reporting below from Mexico News Daily and the New York Times, and read more on Wikipedia.

“The borough of Iztapalapa may not have one of the best reputations in Mexico City, but it is also home to one of Mexico’s most important annual events — its Passion Play. It is not the only passion play in Mexico by any means, but it is the oldest, most elaborate and best-known, celebrating its 180th edition this year [2023].

The uniqueness of Iztapalapa’s play comes from the fact that it contains elements from outside the Bible — from local traditions and other Christian and secular writing like Dante’s Divine Comedy.” – Leigh Thelmadatter, “Religion and identity meet in Mexico City’s Iztapalapa,” Mexico News Daily, April 15, 2023

“The Passion Play in Iztapalapa, Mexico, has a cast of thousands. The 50 or so main parts tend to remain within local families… The Roman Catholic Church’s attitude toward the play has fluctuated over the years. In the past, there were complaints that the script, which draws not only on the Bible but also on Dante’s Divine Comedy, deviated too much from sacred texts.” –  Larry Rohter, “A Mexican Tradition Runs on Pageantry and Faith,” The New York Times, April 11, 2009