Easter is an important date in Spain, its place on the Catholic calendar needs no explanation, and Easter in Mallorca is celebrated as much as anywhere else in the country. Parades with the hooded penitents in procession with the image of Christ and other major figures in the Easter story are held in towns across the island.
On Maundy Thursday solemn parades take place through the streets at night, some in the procession walk barefoot with chains around their ankles. Easter in Mallorca really begins on this day with the parade and reenactments of the Passion of Christ, for example the scene of the Last Supper is depicted in towns across the north.
More solemn processions take place on Good Friday, the hooded penitents making all the visual impact of the sombre processions. On Easter Sunday, Churches use their image – or statues – of Jesus and Mary to depict the meeting of the two.
Easter in Mallorca - The Penitents & Confrarias
If you haven’t seen it before, the hooded characters may look alarming. But worry not; the Capirote worn during Easter in Mallorca predates those hoods by a long way. In fact, these coned hats of various shapes, sizes and colours signify ‘penitentes’ or someone undergoing penance for their sins.
Originally worn by criminals who walked the streets while people threw stones and spat and hurled insults at them, the conical hats became the devotees’ method of “self harm” but they kept their faces covered. It’s a tradition that has remained across Spain, making Semana Santa highly distinctive and a sight to behold.
Easter in Pollensa: The Davallament on Good Friday
If you are in the North of Mallorca on Easter Friday, then head to Pollensa to watch the ‘Davallamant’ – in full the Davallament de Sa Creu, the Removal from the Cross. This impressive descent of the 365 Calvari steps is one of the biggest Easter events in the North. It is a somewhat solemn affair, held in complete silence apart from the steady beat of a drum, hundreds of devotees sway in unison down the steps with the statue of Jesus.
La Confraria de la Sang, or the rather sinister sounding Brother of the Blood, is the name of the group that leads the Holy Thursday Procession and the Devallament on Good Friday in Pollensa. They wear long white robes, buttoned at the front, that fall to their feet. At the waist is a green belt tied to one side. The hood is also white.
The Brotherhood was formed in 1990 and is involved in promoting participation in the processions; the group also has its own drummers. Not such a new thing, there was a Brotherhood of Souls in Purgatory way back in 1750. It was restored in 1914 and this statue of the Blood of Christ now heads the procession of Holy Thursday.
Other Events During Easter in Mallorca
Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday is a big day during Easter in Mallorca. Every year, decorative palms are made and sold for residents to decorate their homes. These distinctive white palm arrangements can be seen on balconies and front doors around town and on Palm Sunday itself the children carry small palms for the procession.
Antonio Navarro is the sixth generation in his family to devote his time to making these palms and it is a skill that is taught at a very early age. He himself started at six years old. It’s a very long process, first the young leaves of the palms are folded closed, so as to avoid any light reaching them. In this way the new palms can’t produce chlorophyll, leaving the characteristic white colour. The palms are then cut one year to the next.
It’s a meticulous process and has to be done correctly so it doesn’t harm the tree. Once the leaves are ready, the folding, lacing and tying to make the palm decorations vary enormously. There are designs that, well a six year old can do, and there are complicated designs that can take one person up to three days.
Easter Monday and the Pancaritat
A pancaritat is a popular out-of-town celebration, normally a meal of some kind, that is celebrated on Easter Monday in many Mallorcan towns. It is often referred to as the “third festival” of Easter. Typical Easter products including panades, rubiols, crespells, flans, roasted meat. The location is usually an emblematic part of the area for example in Alcudia it is the hermitage in La Victoria and in Pollensa the Puig de Maria. The people of the town make a mini-pilgrimage and gather to eat and drink and there is usually baile de bot.
For the latest Easter programme, check out the What’s On Page, the latest events will be posted here when they are published.