Easter in Mallorca

Palm Sunday was the beginning of the religious celebrations for this Easter, or ‘Semana Santa’ as it’s known in Spain.

Over the coming days, there’ll be solemn, evening processions of religious brotherhoods through the streets of Palma. The most important of these is the procession of ‘Sant Crist de la Sang’ on Holy (Maundy) Thursday, in which all the local brotherhoods take part, processing solemnly for hours through the old part of Palma to the Cathedral to the sound of muffled drumbeats.

The streets are lined with spectators observing the members in their penitentiary robes and tall, pointed hoods. It’s an unforgettable event to witness.

On Good Friday at midday, a traditional re-enactment of Christ’s Passion is held on the steps of Palma Cathedral. Outside Palma, the town of Pollença hosts the most moving and memorable of Mallorca’s Easter traditions, the ‘davallament’, in which a statue of the deceased Christ is removed from the cross at dusk and carried in silence by torchlight down the Calvari’s 365 steps to Pollença’s Virgen de los Ángeles church. The town of Felanitx also holds a similar ceremony, without all the steps.

‘Semana Santa’ ends with celebrations of the resurrection on Easter Sunday, including Mass in Palma Cathedral and the tradition of the ‘Procession of the Meeting’ – depicting the joyful reunion of the resurrected Jesus with his mother, Mary. Towns across Mallorca host their own ‘Semana Santa’ events, albeit on a smaller scale.

Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Monday are public holidays in Mallorca.