THE TELEGRAPH: Once every 10 years Oberammergau, in Bavaria, crucifies Jesus all over again and local hairdressers nearly go out of business.
That's because nearly half the 5,300-strong village lets hair and beards grow for over a year to better resemble the Jews they will interpret in the Passion play that has been running here for nearly 375 years.
The tradition goes back to 1633 when the plague struck the alpine village and locals vowed, if they were spared, to put on a play about the crucifixion and reincarnation of Jesus once every 10 years - for ever.
"A lot of people, including some 600 children stop having their hair cut from Ash Wednesday (February 25) 2009 to October 3 2010" when the play packs up for nine years, says Doris Renner, 51, who runs one of the village's three hairdressing shops.
"That means a tremendous loss of business and shorter working hours for some employees," she adds.
But "Jesus", for his part, is working over time.
Frederik Mayet, 30, a marketing student, is both "Jesus" and spokesman for the play.
To take part in the Passion, "you have to be born in the village, have lived here for 20 years, or be married to someone from the village for over 10 years", he says.
The Passion is the "social event of the decade", says play director Christian Stueckl.
"Some want to take part because it's a tradition. Others for religious reasons. Still others, who aren't at all religious, just don't want to miss out," according to Stueckl, a village native who usually runs the Munich Volkstheater.
Villagers give up a lot of time to take part. >>> Francis Curta, in Oberammergau for AFP | Monday, March 15, 2010
