'The Bible' begets huge ratings

NEW YORK - A new TV series depicting history's best-selling book, the Bible, is drawing huge ratings on the History channel.
  
The cable channel says the first two hours of its ten-hour miniseries "The Bible" attracted 14.8 million viewers on the first of five Sunday evenings it will be broadcast this month.
  
Executive Producers Roma Downey and Mark Burnett say they're "thrilled" with the opening-night ratings.
  
In a statement, they said, "We've been working on this project for the past four years now, and are deeply honored to be given this once in a generation opportunity to breathe new visual life into the Bible's profound stories."
  
The Portuguese actor who portrays Jesus in the new drama told religious broadcasters meeting this week in Nashville, Tenn., that he initially wondered, "How can you play Jesus Christ? How can you play the son of God? -- You can't."
  
But Diogo Morgado said just speaking the words of Jesus was a privilege.