Miracle play is a form of religious drama that was popular in the Middle Ages. It was based on the lives of the saints. The few surviving examples of miracle plays center on the Virgin Mary and the early bishop Saint Nicholas and their powers to grant salvation. At first, the plays were presented as a part of Roman Catholic Church services. But, like the mystery plays out of which they developed, they lost the approval of the church. The plays were driven from the church to the streets or public squares because their style and tone increasingly reflected the lives of the common people. In England, trade guild members performed these plays on feast days. Miracle plays have been revived from time to time, but interest in this type of drama has become chiefly literary. See Drama (Medieval drama).
