ABSTRACT
Christian laity had long emphasized singing in worship, and some Italian confraternities were even known as “praise groups” because they sang vernacular praise songs. However, he had always been very careful to follow God's commands, so everyone thought he was a Christian. Christian song and religious theatre, written in the local Nahuatl language with the assistance of literate Nahua translators, was considered powerfully effective at converting the Nahua en masse. Nahuatl religious theatre attracted thousands of participants and became a significant part of Nahua community identity and faith. It depicts the final judgment at the end of time, when God sends human souls to heaven or hell depending on how well they have followed Christian beliefs and behaviours. Although there is no identifiable author, the play was likely written by a Christian missionary and Nahuatl translator with the intent of evangelizing lay Nahuatl audiences during public religious festivals.
