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Why were performances of autos sacramentales prohibited in 1765?
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Pedro Calderón de la Barca
Pedro Calderón de la Barca, from a Spanish postage stamp, c. 1951.
Performances of autos sacramentales were prohibited by royal decree in 1765 because they were accused of displaying irreverence toward the sacrament.1
These short, allegorical plays, which reached their artistic peak under Pedro Calderón de la Barca, were traditionally performed outdoors as part of the Corpus Christi feast day celebrations to honor the mystery of the Eucharist.1