What started three years ago in the Dutch ‘cheese city’ Gouda has developed into an annual wildly successful pop culture phenomenon in the Netherlands: The Passion, a live open-air re-enactment of the last supper, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In previous years The Passion visited Rotterdam and The Hague, and this year on the Thursday before Easter Groningen hosted the event, with over 20,000 people participating locally, and 3.2 million people watching the drama unfold on national television. The popularity of The Passion is surprising, as the Netherlands has a reputation for being one of the most secularized countries in Europe. A large cross is carried through town and followed by a long procession of people. The programme's different scenes are portrayed with Biblical characters like Jesus, Mary and Judas, and Dutch pop bands playing famous songs. The Passion is thus the modern version of the St Matthew Passion.