There is dance, music, theater, song and special effects; collaborators of the Christian fraternity of Guatemala (Frater), participate to give life to The painful roada work that seeks to revive the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Growing participation
The work was first presented in 1994 and 60 actors participated in it. At present, more than 300 volunteers are involved that make up 18 different commissions, such as music, sound, lighting, multimedia, special effects, makeup, food and costumes, among others.
Participants are church members and voluntarily serve the theater ministry; They not only serve in The painful roadbut in any other event that requires acting. Due to the magnitude of the work, there are a variety of characters, from main to support, so acting skills vary according to the need, says Dajanny Berges, director of monitoring of Christian Fraternity.
The preparation
The libretto is written between the months of October and November by Carlos López Pinto, theater director, as well as by Erick López, artistic director. Also Juan Magaña, Dance Director and Marvin García, musical director.
For three months, the actors rehearse and prepare their locker room, makeup and scenery, to give life to the characters that star in the key moments of Jesus’ message.
The main characters vary, but the highlight in each work is Jesus, personified by William Méndez. Being a biblical story, everything revolves around Jesus and his earthly ministry, but has other relevant characters such as Judas, the antagonistic character that promotes the arrest of Jesus and with it begins his suffering. Also, the personification of the high priest Caifás stands out, who seeks the death of Jesus, as well as the accompaniment of the disciples Peter and John.
Determination and commitment
Judas Iscariot, one of the 12 disciples, is known for his ambition and greed when betraying Jesus in exchange for 30 silver coins and bringing the soldiers to Gethsemaní’s garden, where Jesus was praying and identifies him with a kiss to seal his betrayal. Between anguish and overwhelmed what he did, he later hangs himself. The singer, music producer and director of praise of Christian fraternity, Eddy Arriaga, personifies Judas, and receives the role “as a gift from God.”
Arriaga estimates that “we all carry a Judas or Peter inside; sometimes we denied Jesus with acts or words that do not please God and he in his infinite mercy forgives us and redeems to be better people,” he says.
It emphasizes that the role of Judas influences the scene to reflect on how to be a good person despite their betrayal, seek holiness and forgiveness with God’s guidance. He plays Judas in the last four years, which allows him to comment that this is a role of much determination and commitment.
The producer visualizes forgiveness as a gift from God, which by his grace has been given to humanity through his son Jesus, and states that therefore a life must be taken according to the purposes that God has for each one, and forgiveness is obtained, if there is repentance of heart.
Change of life
William Méndez is a dentist surgeon, university professor and active member of the Christian fraternity and interprets Jesus. Remember that five years ago they gave him this role and this “fell like a bucket of cold water to his life.” He argues that “when the role of Jesus is interpreted, life changes forever for commitment to stand on stage and play our beloved Father.”
During a working day, he remembers how a patient asked him if he could pray for him, telling him that God had the message that would choose him to preach his word before thousands of people and at that time, he did not understand.
He comments that his life testimony is transformative; He grew up in a Catholic home that respects a lot and, during his adulthood he married the evangelical church and was in a period of rebellion where he moved away from religion; But one day, God touched his heart and sought a cell and church and from that moment he felt the change to serve God, the community and the network of marriages where he currently participates with his wife Liza Ruiz. He is convinced that God has chosen him to play the role of Jesus and contradictoryly remembers that at another time he participated as a soldier and Judas.
Passion and fidelity
Herbert Meneses’s commercial and commercial director plays Pedro for seven years, a faithful, impulsive, protective and brave disciple, a character with whom he identifies, but at the same time he has made him reflect and also motivated to be a better person, as well as better handle his emotions.
“The same passion that I feel to follow Jesus Christ and try to do humanly what He came to teach us to Earth, is the same passion of Peter to have courage and be strong in the face of the adversities of life, remembering that God has control of everything.”
Peter’s character shows a lot of loyalty, which, despite denying Jesus, after resuscitating he receives forgiveness to carry out the ministry that God entrusted him, among them to preach the gospel and transform the lives of many people.
A message from God
Daniel Marroquín remembers that during a stage of his life, he was not sure to continue serving God in Christian fraternity. But when the theater director Carlos López assigns him the role of disciple John, identifies that God had a mission. “Despite my failures, God allows me to serve him and through the work, many people can know him.”
Known as the beloved disciple, John is characterized by being one of the closest to Jesus and witnessing his miracles. In the staging, Marroquín seeks to convey the love, nobility and tenderness of John, who has tried to impact his daily life in a positive way to those around him.
“With John’s character I can help many people who do not believe in God, transform their life when you finish seeing the work of the painful path and believe in Jesus Christ.”
Family blessing
For more than 20 years, the medical visitor Fernando de León, participates in the painful road with different characters such as the disciple Juan, Centurión, villager and 12 ago, plays Caifás, a high priest, leader of the Sanhedrin, a group of Jewish sages who ordered Jesus to respond if he was the son of God and thereby condemn him to death.
Although the Sanhedrin transmits human hardness and wisdom, De León emphasizes that being on stage, “even the hardest heart can soften in the presence of our God.” The whole family of León participates in each activity and they take it as a blessing for their lives. “All glory is for God and it is a great blessing in our lives to serve in each activity.”
