Origo mundi

The Origo Mundi is the first play in the Cornish Ordinalia trilogy, a set of medieval religious dramas. Written in Middle Cornish around the late 14th century, it serves as a prologue to the other two plays, focusing on biblical narratives from the Old Testament.1

Mystery plays, like the Origo Mundi, were a significant form of vernacular drama in medieval Europe. They typically depicted biblical subjects, evolving from Latin plays performed by clergy to more elaborate productions by guilds in the vernacular. These plays often featured elaborate staging and mechanical effects to portray miracles and dramatic events. The Origo Mundi specifically covers the "Origin of the World," setting the stage for the subsequent plays which deal with the Passion and Resurrection of Christ.21