auto sacramental ( plural autos sacramentales)
A Spanish form of allegorical religious play in one act performed at the feast of Corpus Christi between the 16th and 18th centuries. These were didactic plays on biblical or historical subjects, usually culminating in the display of a large host and chalice symbolizing the sacrament of the Eucharist; hence the term ‘sacramental play’. Performances were provided by civic authorities, as open-air events with scenery on moveable carts. The most important examples are those written by the major playwright Calderón (Pedro Calderón de la Barca, 1600–1681), who claimed to have written more than 70 such pieces, having held for many years a monopoly on their composition in Madrid. The ... ...
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