WATERVILLE (AP) – Mel Gibson’s controversial film about the final hours of Jesus is not scheduled for release until Feb. 25, but some central Maine churches are already selling out private screenings.

Faith Evangelical Free Church in Waterville, Fayette Baptist Church, the Christian Civic League of Maine and other churches and religious organizations are selling hundreds of advance tickets to “The Passion of the Christ,” at $10 apiece.

Two sold-out private showings will be held at the Augusta Regal Cinemas before the movie’s official release on Ash Wednesday.

“We hardly had to whisper and the tickets were gone,” said Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League.

The Rev. Bill Cripe, pastor of Faith Evangelical, will be using the former marquee outside the church, located in a former movie theater, to promote the film.

“I am absolutely looking forward to this movie,” Cripe said. “I haven’t seen the movie, but the two-minute trailers really affected me.”

The area’s Roman Catholic churches are not supporting the film until they see it, according to Rev. George Hickey of Sacred Heart Church in Hallowell.

Gibson, the actor and director, put up much of the $25 million cost of “The Passion,” which was filmed in southern Italy. The dialogue is in Aramaic and Latin, with English subtitles.

Conservative Christian churches are backing Gibson’s film because it follows the Bible truthfully, said the Rev. Russell Cotnoir Jr. of Fayette Baptist Church, who saw an early screening.

“I’m hoping for a non-believer to come away with appreciation and understanding of what Christ went through and reawaken the same thing for believers,” Cotnoir said. “This film will revitalize the understanding of following Jesus.”

Cotnoir has mentioned the film in his sermons. He also has shown a four-minute trailer of the film and is planning an open group discussion meeting about the film after it opens.

The Anti-Defamation League has expressed concern about the film. The ADL fears that by blaming Jews for Jesus’ death it will fan the flames of hatred and prejudice, particularly in places like Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, where anti-Semitism already smolders.

“That worries me,” said Abraham Peck, the University of Southern Maine’s director for Post-Holocaust, Jewish, Christian and Islamic studies. “Anti-Semitism is doing well without this film over there.”

Heath, who has not yet seen the movie, said that if it is anti-Jewish, it deserves to be criticized. “If it is an actual portrayal of Christ, it won’t be an issue. The crucifixion is not about the Jews or the Romans killing Jesus. It’s about learning it’s my sin that put him on the cross,” he said.

Rabbi Susan Bulba Carvutto of Temple Beth El in Augusta said she won’t judge the film until she’s seen it. But she adds that if it leads to more discussion between Jews and Christians that could be a good thing.

“The movie is coming out at a time when Catholics and Jews have made concerted efforts to increase communications,” Carvutto said. “We started trading pulpits with Catholic churches a few years ago. This would have never happened 30 years ago.”

AP-ES-02-15-04 1231EST

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