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The 11-day tour, which will be hosted by Union President David S. Dockery and Executive Vice President Michael Duduit, will feature travel to Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Oberammergau, Lucerne and Paris. The tour will depart on July 14, 2000.

The Passion Play is presented every 10 years by the citizens of the small German town. The day-long experience will attract thousands of visitors from around the world.

The tour will begin in the historic Austrian city of Vienna and will spend time in Salzburg (famous as the "Sound of Music" country) and the mountain city of Innsbruck. Participants will also enjoy time in Bavaria, including the visit to Oberammergau for the Passion Play. The tour will then travel to Switzerland for visits to Zurich and Lucerne, as well as the tiny principality of Liechtenstein. On its final leg, the tour will pass through the French countryside en route to Paris. The tour will return to the U.S. from Paris, although an optional extension to London is available.

The Passion Play is known to Christians around the globe, in part because of its remarkable history. In the year 1633, when Oberammergau was in the grip of the black plague, the inhabitants took an oath that they would stage a performance of the bitter suffering of Jesus Christ every 10 years. For the first time in 1634 the inhabitants of Oberammergau fulfilled their oath, and in 2000 the village in the Ammer-valley will fulfill that pledge once again.

For centuries, in spite of dangers and threats, Oberammergau has kept the tradition alive, and in recent years pilgrims from all over the world have been fascinated by the play, which shows the story of Christ's Passion, beginning with the entry into Jerusalem and ending with the resurrection and transfiguration.

The text of the Passion Play was adapted between 1850 and 1860 by the parish priest Alois Daisenberger from Oberammergau. The structure of the play with its living pictures from the Old Testament and the acted scenes from the New Testament have been retained. The music for the Passion Play was written in 1815 by Oberammergau school teacher Rochus Dedler. Employing a large choir and orchestra, his compositions frame the entire play.

The Union tour will be provided by Dehoney Travel. The projected cost is $3,250 per person (based on double occupancy), which includes round-trip air fare from selected departure cities (such as Memphis or Nashville), first-class/superior tourist-class hotel accommodations, breakfast daily along with several lunches and dinners, the Passion Play tickets and arrangements, entrance fees to all sightseeing sites, all transfers, and professional tour escort/guides throughout the trip.

Since limited numbers of Passion Play tickets are available, the tour is likely to be filled this fall, so interested Unionites are encouraged to call (800) 338-6644 (or 661-5214 in the Jackson area) for a complete brochure.