The participating organizations consider The Passion missionary work and they see it as a chance to promote Easter and Christianity in general.

The Dutch event and television program is partly inspired by the English local play Manchester Passion, held on Good Friday and broadcast by the BBC Three.

The first Dutch version was held at the market square in Gouda, with a live broadcast on national television on Maundy Thursday 2011.

On Maundy Thursday, three days prior to Easter, the event takes place on a main square in a Dutch city.

Throughout the years, songs from Dutch musicians such as Marco Borsato, BLØF, Guus Meeuwis and Nick & Simon have been used.

Meanwhile, a group of 40 people bare a huge white cross towards the main podium in the center square.

It is possible to follow this event online; with a second screen, people can join the procession virtually on The Passion website.

The host city is selected annually on the basis of various factors: The first three editions were all held in the province of South Holland.

In June 2012, the Gouda edition of The Passion won an award for best city marketing event.

[2] The Passion was held on 2 April on the Hendrik Jan van Heekplein in Enschede.

Presenter Johnny de Mol told the Easter story live from the Media Park in Hilversum, including fragments of performances from previous years.

The eleventh edition of The Passion was held on a stage at Munsterplein on 1 April 2021 in Roermond.