An intensely anti–Jewish and particularly incendiary rendering of the Passion Saga, performed in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany for the past 375 years. Intermittently banned by Bavaria.
The way matters are structured across Christendom, the prime mode of conveying the central historical drama of Christianity is via representations of the Passion Saga, i.e. the events leading into and surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. Wide latitude is given to local representations, constructs, and dramatizations of the Saga.
Since the four gospels diverge or are shaded or written differently regarding each of the dozen or so subcomponent events, the local Passion Saga can pick–and–choose among the four gospels for the intensity desired for each subcomponent. Even after cherry picking and choosing, the local saga can then shade or intensify or spin further, as per its predilections.
Thus, by hypothetically cherry picking the most negative portrayals of the Jews from across the four gospels in each subcomponent of the saga, (with the gospels themselves, in the first place anecdotal and highly politicized in the First Century CE to undermine the Jews in the eyes of the local Mediterranean population) and then by ratcheting–up the intensity even further, the local Passion Saga representation can implant a quite demonic, and subhuman caricature of the Jews. Along with a quite intense and potentially long–lasting hatred. A cancerous weed, which will only spread.
Any local bishop or pastor or teacher or political leader across Christendom, could at will incite and then ride this wave of hatred to consolidate his position vis à vis his flock or constituency.
It is not even necessary for the Vatican to proactively disseminate anti–Jewish directives; in the absence of Vatican prohibitions of ongoing demonizationsto the contrary, in times of financial stress or disease or food shortages or political weakness, the local Christian (or even non-Christian) protagonist need only ratchet–up the Passion Saga representation to channel the passion of the masses and towards a convenient scapegoat.
The ultimate and always convenient “safety valve” for the Church itself, as well, to channel anger.
The initial Oberammergau play originated in the depths of the bubonic plague.
The local Christian protagonist (cleric or mayor or local demagogue) will know full well how to ride the subsequent “wave of hatred” sweeping through the community, and now newly embedded in the minds of the Christian young, next generation’s potential hotheads, clerics and indeed, protagonists.
Once the gospels are laced with highly toxic to the Jews vignettes, and once local representations are given wide–berth in cherry picking the gospels, and once local representations are given wide berth in shading or intensifying even the most toxic anti–Jewish vignettes in the Passion Saga representations, and finally, in the absence of Vatican insistence on a mild representation of the Jews in these Passion Saga representations, the die–is–cast. Jews will suffer, and Jews will die; it is just a matter of time, circumstance and numbers of Jewish victims. Respectfully, the Popes, the College of Cardinals and the bishops all know this. All have been in–on–the–game. For centuries ongoing through this very date.
After 17+ centuries of defamation, some mild, some severe, by assorted Passion sagas around the world, the Catholic Bishops Declaration of 1988 (see below) was an effort to blunt this dynamic somewhat in Roman Catholic parishes, at least in North America.