Experience Holy Week 2023 in Palma: Traditional celebrations that enchant!

In the streets of Palma, the city comes to life at Easter and the air is filled with devotion and tradition. From the colourful processions to the delicious treats, such as the typical ‘panades’, ‘robiols’ and ‘crespells’, there is plenty to experience and enjoy.

The programme for Holy Week 2023 has already begun in Palma, this year with around 5,000 Cofrades and 11 processions, with the procession of the Holy Christ on Maundy Thursday taking centre stage.

A total of 33 Cofradías will take part. This year, the organisation has made changes to the route of the Holy Christ procession, diverting it via the streets Unión and Las Ramblas instead of going along Jaime III, and resuming passage through the well-known Can Avall area.

To make it more environmentally friendly, the Asociación de Cofradías de Semana Santa in Palma has reduced the number of programmes issued this year from 6,000 to 3,000 copies. Instead, a QR code has been provided on their Facebook page , where, in addition to routes and procession times, information about the participating Cofradías and their attire, as well as images of the processions, can be accessed.

On 6 April 2023, “Jueves Santo”, the procession of the Holy Christ in Palma is an emblematic event. Since the year 1564, the image presiding over this procession has been venerated on this day. The procession begins at 19:00 on the Hospital Square and ends at the Church of the Annunciation. All Cofradías take part in this procession, devoting themselves in their traditional garments to the veneration and protection of the image.

It is tradition for priests, during the service, in reference to the Last Supper, to perform the washing of the feet on 12 men – in reference to the 12 apostles. The liturgy also includes a small procession inside the churches and the setting up of a special altar, known as the “Monumento”, on which the exposed Blessed Sacrament is displayed.

The new route runs via Hospital Square, Costa de la Sang, La Rambla, Oms, Sant Miquel, Plaza Mayor, Plaza Marqués del Palmer, Colom, Plaza de Cort, Palau Reial, de la Victòria, Conqueridor, Plaza de la Reina, Passeig d’es Born, Plaza Joan Carles I, Unió, Plaza del Mercat, La Rambla, Costa de la Sang, Plaza del Hospital and ends at the Church of the Annunciation.

On 7 April 2023, “Viernes Santo”, the “Santo Entierro” procession takes place in Palma. The procession begins at 19:00 at the Basilica of Sant Francesc and ends at the Church of Nostra Senyora dels Socors, where a solemn ceremony is held. Viernes Santo commemorates the death of Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church and is therefore a day of mourning for Catholics. For this reason, the processions should be characterised by simplicity and modesty.

In the liturgical celebrations there is no music and the altars must be bare, the lights turned off, and the tabernacles empty and open. In fact, no Mass is celebrated on Viernes Santo, but rather a prayer ritual known as the “oficio”. No sacraments are administered either, with the exception of the last rites and confession.

Other religious practices that take place on Viernes Santo in Palma include the “Via Crucis”, a Way of the Cross carried out at various stations depicting Christ’s suffering, as well as the “Sermón de las Siete Palabras”, a sermon on the seven words Jesus spoke on the cross. Another tradition in Palma is the “Visit to the holy houses”, in which the faithful visit sacred places to take part in prayers and rites.

On Sunday, 9 April 2023, Easter is the most important festival for Christians. No processions are planned on these days, although some communities in Mallorca hold encounter processions, in which statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary meet during the procession. Another typical Holy Week tradition in Mallorca is the preparation of “empanadas” (panades), yeast-free pastries filled with meat, usually lamb, as well as sweet treats such as “robiols”, filled sweet pastries, and “crespells”, fried pastry rings in various shapes.

Enjoy your Easter week and let the sacred atmosphere and the traditional Holy Week celebrations enchant you. We wish you a wonderful time in Palma!