miracle play

[Tanya Shivari]

a medieval play representing episodes from the life of a saint or martyr

[LouissaRini]

Mystery plays and miracle plays (they are distinguished as two different forms although the terms are often used interchangeably) are among the earliest formally developed plays in medieval Europe. Medieval mystery plays focused on the representation of Bible stories in churches as tableaux with accompanying antiphonal song. They told of subjects such as the Creation, Adam and Eve, the murder of Abel, and the Last Judgment. Often they were performed together in cycles which could last for days. The name derives from mystery used in its sense of miracle, but an occasionally quoted derivation is from ministerium, meaning craft, and so the mysteries or plays performed by the craft guilds.

[EfrainaLign]

A miracle play is a type of medieval drama that centered on the life, miracles, or martyrdom of a saint or biblical figures, often illustrating moral lessons. These plays were used as a method of teaching biblical stories and principles to a largely illiterate population. They were often performed at religious festivals or on holy days and were one of the earliest forms of drama in Europe.