mystery play

English

Noun

mystery play (plural mystery plays)

1. (performing arts) A medieval dramatic performance depicting events from Christian scriptures, especially events from the life of Jesus Christ.
2. A similar play depicting events from the life of other gods or goddesses.
   • 1920, Edward Carpenter, Pagan and Christian Creeds, New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., published 1921, page 22:

     His [Osiris'] sufferings, his death and his resurrection were enacted year by year in a great mystery-play at Abydos.

   • 1993, Jean Houston, Public Like a Frog: Entering the Lives of Three Great Americans‎^[1], page xix:

     We also entered into the mystery plays of Demeter and Persephone, of Psyche and Eros, of Isis and Osiris[.]

Translations

medieval dramatic performance

• Finnish: mysteerinäytelmä (fi)
• French: mystère (fr) m
• German: Mysterienspiel (de) n
• Hungarian: misztériumjáték (hu)
• Latin: mysterium n
• Polish: misterium (pl) n
• Russian: мисте́рия (ru) m (mistérija)
• Swedish: mysteriespel (sv) n

See also

• nativity play
• passion play

References

• “mystery play”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.