2023 Easter Passion Play at Trafalgar Square

Published · Updated

On Good Friday 2023 (7th April) Wintershall presented “The Passion of Jesus” to mark Easter in London’s Trafalgar Square.

In glorious April weather, an audience of thousands watched in the open air as the story was played out in front of them twice at 12:00 and 15:15

The Passion Play tells the story of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.

The make-up was very real, so don’t scroll down if injuries aren’t your thing.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The Last Supper.

The Last Supper

The Last Supper featured at the start of the play.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The Last Supper
The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The Last Supper

The Crucifixion

With the production of the play staying true to the story, the crucifixion was played out in excoriatingly realistic detail by cast who acted with great presence.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Roman soldiers wait for orders.

The Roman Legionnaires wait for their orders.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Christ is raised up on his Cross by Roman soldiers.

Christ is raised vertically on his cross.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The famous Trafalgar Square lions by Edwin Landseer stand silent witness to Christ on the Cross.

The famous lions of Trafalgar Square by Edwin Landseer stood silent guard over the Easter Passion Play.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Christ on the Cross.
The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Christ on the Cross.
The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. A Roman soldier stabs Christ with a spear whilst he is still on the cross to ensure that he is dead.

A Roman Legionnaire stabs Christ whilst he is still on the Cross to ensure he is dead.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Roman soldiers take Christ's lifeless body down from the cross.

Christ’s body is taken down from the Cross by the Roman soldiers.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Mary, mother of Christ, cradles his lifeless body after it is taken down from the Cross.

Mary, Christ’s mother, cradles his lifeless body.

The Tomb

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The tomb containing Christ's body is sealed.

The Tomb is sealed after Christ’s body has been placed in it.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Mary, mother of Christ, discovers the tomb in which his body was placed is actually empty.

Mary runs out of the tomb having discovered that it is empty and Christ’s body has gone.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Christ's Disciples check the tomb which had contained Christ's body after Mary found it empty.

Christ’s Disciples check the Tomb for themselves.

The Audience

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Looking across the audience with St. Martin-in-the-Fields church in the background.

Across Trafalgar Square, the audience crammed into every vantage point to watch the Easter Passion Play with the National Gallery and St Martin-in-the-Fields church providing a backdrop.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Looking across the audience to St. Martin-in-the-Fields church.
The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Part of the audience at the Easter Passion Play.

The Production

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The production crew merged in with the cast.

Some of the production crew merged into the production.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Donation points around the Square to help pay for the production.

Around Trafalgar Square there were donation points to fund the production.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. The big screen on which the play was shown to the audience.

The play was shown live on a huge screen that had been brought to Trafalgar Square in an articulated lorry.

The Good Friday Wintershall Easter Passion Play "The Passion of Jesus" presented at Trafalgar Square in London. 7th April 2023. Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London, led the audience in a recitation of The Lord's Prayer.

At the end of the production, Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London led the audience in a recitation of The Lord’s Prayer.

Posts About Churches

You may also like...