ST Andrew’s Church, in Huntington Road, York, has been given special permission to show Mel Gibson’s controversial film The Passion Of The Christ this Easter.

The screening will take place on March 29 to “reflect together on Good Friday evening”, after the church received approval from Icon Movies, who own the production company that made the movie.

The Passion Of The Christ concerns the last 12 hours in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and uses dialogue spoken in the ancient Aramaic language, along with Latin and Hebrew. Amid much controversy involving Gibson and various religious organisations, the film was granted an international theatrical release in February 2004.

Staff and members of the St Andrew’s congregation decided to apply for a special screening at the church after a Parish Away Day hosted by Roger Simpson, the Archbishop of York’s Evangelist to the North. James Simister, Youth and Children’s Worker for All Saints and St Andrew’s Church in Huntington, explains the timing of the film show. “The Passion Of The Christ provides a graphic insight into the reality of what Jesus Christ went through and suffered for each one of us in the last hours of his life. Showing this film on Good Friday just makes sense,” he says.

The March 29 screening will be one of a series of events in a year that marks the centenary of St Andrew’s Church, which was opened by the then Archbishop of York in November 1913.

As part of the celebrations, members of All Saints and St Andrew’s have begun work on an ambitious building programme to redevelop facilities at St Andrew’s.