Impact of Playing the Role of Jesus During Holy Week

INDIANAPOLIS STAR
By Robert King and Dan McFeely

INDIANA - Easter Sunday marks the culmination of Holy Week, a time when millions of Christians ponder and pray about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ more than 2,000 years ago. For many, this time of reflection is heightened by a vivid experience -- a dramatic re-creation of events that seeks to bring to life the Gospel's description of Christ's final week. Such live events, often known as a Passion play or the Way of the Cross, evoke tears, forgiveness, even anger from those who watch. But what about those who don the "bloody" robes, who wear the crowns of thorns and who carry a heavy cross on their shoulders? What does it mean to be cast as Christ, to play the central role in "The Greatest Story Ever Told"? The Rev. Michael O'Mara, pastor at St. Mary Catholic Church in Downtown Indianapolis, which has put on a Passion play for the past 11 years, explains it this way: "Without fail, every year, the person who plays the role of Christ comes out of that experience a different person." The Indianapolis Star recently put the question to three such men. Here are their stories: Adrian Darnell, Joseph Martine and Pablo Mayren. [link]