The Passion is a huge Passion Play, held around Easter on the streets of a certain city. The event started in the Netherlands as a collaboration between the local community and the broadcasters Evangelische Omroep (EO) and Rooms-Katholiek Kerkgenootschap (RKK). KRO-NCRV took over for RKK in co-developing the event with EO in 2016. The event is considered a missionary chance to pay attention to Easter.
The event and television is partly inspired by the local event, the Manchester Passion, held and broadcast by BBC Three on Good Friday 2006. The production company Eye2Eye Media brought the event to the Netherlands. The first Dutch version was on Maundy Thursday in 2011 held at the market square in Gouda with a live-broadcast on TV. It proved successful and new editions followed in the next years.
The event is staged in a main square in a city around Easter. On this square a stage is built where celebrities tell the story of Easter, on basis of certain passages around the traditional story of Jesus, interspersed with live performances of actual pop songs. Meanwhile, a group of people carries a huge cross towards the main stage in the center square.
International versions[]
| Country | Local title | Network(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | De Passie | Kerknet, various regional TV stations |
| Germany | Die Passion | RTL |
| Hungary | A Passió | TV2 |
| Netherlands | The Passion | Current: Nederland 1/NPO 1 (EO/RKK/KRO-NCRV) NPO 1 Extra (sign language simulcast) NPO Radio 2 (audio described simulcast) Former: Nederland 3 (EO/RKK) |
| United States | The Passion: New Orleans | Fox |
Locations[]
| Country | Location | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Merchtem | 2014 |
| Grote Markt, Ypres | 2016 | |
| Grote Markt, Lier | 2018 | |
| Sint-Niklaas (feature film) | 2023 | |
| Germany | Burgplatz, Essen | 2022 |
| Friedrichsplatz, Kassel | 2024 | |
| Hungary | City Park Ice Rink, Budapest | 2021 |
| Netherlands | Markt, Gouda | 2011 |
| Willemsplein, Rotterdam | 2012 | |
| Hofvijver, The Hague | 2013 | |
| Vismarkt, Groningen | 2014 | |
| Hendrik Jan van Heekplein, Enschede | 2015 | |
| Eemplein, Amersfoort | 2016 | |
| Wilhelminaplein, Leeuwarden | 2017 | |
| ArenAPark, Amsterdam | 2018 | |
| Maartensgat, Dordrecht | 2019 | |
| Media Park, Hilversum | 2020 | |
| Munsterplein, Roermond | 2021 | |
| Simonsplein, Doetinchem | 2022 | |
| Nieuwe Willemshaven, Harlingen | 2023 | |
| Het Rond, Zeist | 2024 | |
| Stadhuisplein, Terneuzen | 2025 | |
| United States | Woldenberg Park, New Orleans, Louisiana | 2016 |
Narrators and procession reporters[]
| Country | Year | Narrator | Procession reporter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belgium | 2016 | Bob De Moor | None |
| 2018 | Katrien De Becker | ||
| Germany | 2022 | Thomas Gottschalk | Annett Möller |
| 2024 | Hannes Jaenicke | Angela Finger-Erben | |
| Hungary | 2021 | András Stohl | Anett Czippán |
| Netherlands | 2011 | Erik Dijkstra | Hanna Verboom |
| 2012 | Philip Freriks | Antoinette Hertsenberg | |
| 2013 | Jörgen Raymann | Renate Verbaan | |
| 2014 | Beau van Erven Dorens | Lieke van Lexmond | |
| 2015 | Robert ten Brink | Bridget Maasland | |
| 2016 | Lenette van Dongen | Sofie van den Enk | |
| 2017 | Remco Veldhuis | Kefah Allush | |
| 2018 | Noraly Beyer | Bert van Leeuwen | |
| 2019 | Martijn Krabbé | Klaas van Kruistum | |
| 2020 | Johnny de Mol | Anne-Mar Zwart | |
| 2021 | Humberto Tan | Anita Witzier | |
| 2022 | Ruud de Wild | Sosha Duysker | |
| 2023 | Thomas van Luyn | Anita Witzier | |
| 2024 | Kluun | ||
| 2025 | Wendy van Dijk | ||
| United States | 2016 | Tyler Perry | Nischelle Turner |