Mystère de la Passion

The Mystère de la Passion is a significant 15th-century religious drama written by Arnoul Gréban, a French organist and choirmaster. This play dramatizes the events of Jesus' life, focusing on his suffering, death, and Resurrection. It is a type of mystery play, a genre that evolved from early liturgical dramas within the Roman Catholic church.

Gréban's Mystère de la Passion was monumental, taking four days to perform in its original form, and was later revised by Jean Michel to an even more extensive 65,000 lines, requiring six days for performance. These plays often supplemented biblical narratives with legend, theology, and elements of lyricism and slapstick, employing spectacular stage effects. The tradition of Passion plays dates back to medieval times, with early versions in Latin and later developing into vernacular performances across Europe.123