Easter in Pollensa

[lollipop]

In answer to the question what happens on the balconies? there are rounds of gunfire and then doves are set off to mark the 'meeting' between the statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

 

[Bathsheba]

Thanks Lollipop

Dont suppose you know what time that happens because my Daughter and Son in Law are going home on Easter Sunday. They have just landed now.....................cant wait to join them on Wednesday

 

[lollipop]

The meeting takes place at 1100, the reenactment of the Last Supper and the procession down the calvary steps are both at about 9pm on Thursday and Friday. If you want to see the ceremony at the top of the calvary steps best to get there a bit earlier as very busy.

 

[pollensa]

We have the timetable for Easter here: www.puertopollensa.com/events.html#MarApr

 

[Easter]

Good Friday procession, awesome - what's it all symbolise?

Hi
We've just returned from a fab week in Pollensa, ending with watching the amazing, awesome and quite scary El Devallment procession down the Calvary steps. The silence as the procession passed with thousands of people watching was very moving, but we (and our 6 grandchildren who were there) would love to know the significance of the differently dressed people (some in white gowns/hoods, some in black, some red, white & black, followed by the statue of Christ and then Roman (?) soldiers. If anyone can explain the history and symbolism of the whole procession we'd be very grateful.
Sue

 

[El Gordo]

Hi Sue

I hope you have not used your email address for your username as it will attract all manner of spam!!!

I think the different colours represent the different Knight Templers upholding religious beliefs

Enjoy the site

 

[lollipop]

All of the churches in the area wear a different colour. The hoods cover the faces of the penitents. On Maundy Thursday they parade in front of the table where the last supper is reancted to gain forgiveness I believe. You can buy little china models of the penitents.The Roman soldiers are used to guard the cross before Christ is lifted down.

 

[Easter]

thanks Gordon and Lollipop - that helps me to understand it a little better. Thanks also for the advice re not using my email address as my user name, but so far I've not been able to change it. I've emailed the Administrator, so hopefully will be able to do so soon.

For those staying in Pollensa at the moment, I note the weather's not too good at present. We had mixed weather last week, but still enjoyed ourselves, but do keep a check on weather forecast, as one day it rained all day in Pollensa, but we went south (amazed to find beautiful, quiet coves just past Malaguf) and it was hot and sunny all day.
Sue

 

[its cd]

We will be in PP for easter ........... unbelieveable that after almost 20 years and about 50 visits this is the first time

I know there is lots written in various posts but can someone who has visited recently talk me through what is worth seeing , what isnt etc

I know I have to be at Calvary by 8pm for the 9pm start of the Devilment ...... but don't know how long it takes ..... need to know because need to assess whether my Dad can stand for long enough ( he is nearly 80 )

What about the last suppoer on the thursday ..... what time? where? worth the trip ?

And then I think I read something about guns and doves on Easter Monday ..... what is that all about ?

Can I just be lazy and let one of you type me a nice post telling me where I need to be at what time on what day please ? and as a reward I will post a nice review on my return

 

[snowy2007]

Easter Sunday in the square is a must for the parade etc not saying more go and enjoy

 

[kate1]

We went last year - it is an extraordinary sight, quite eerie and sinister in some ways but well worth seeing. We will go again this year. I should warn you though that there is quite a bit of hanging around - we were told to go to the bottom of the Calvario steps at 9PM but the procession takes forever to make its way down so for at least an hour all we could see were the torches glimmering faintly at the top. It was after 10PM when we could eventually see figures. The procession is also huge - it was wending its way past us for about half an hour, at which point we sadly decided to go because the children were getting fidgety, and bored with having to keep quiet (the procession is meant to happen in silence - which it does, by and large). There was still masses of it to go at this point and I was sad to miss it.

The best thing to do, if it is a warm evening, is to get there early, grab a table at one of the cafes at the foot of the Calvario and hang on to it for dear life all evening. Most if not all of them serve food so at least that way you have somewhere to sit for a couple of hours.

 

[lollipop]

You could get there early and go upto the steps and watch the enactment of them removing Christ from the cross and then parading off down the steps. On Thursday the last supper takes place in the market square alongside Il Giardino and the same people who parade on Friday parade,but some are in chains. And the Sunday morning is definitely worth a visit.11.00 in market square Pollensa

 

[El Gordo]

I know that we all love PP and P but once we had experienced the long Good Friday parade in P we now sometimes look in on the parade in old Alcudia.

A much smaller and intimate experience.

Would not miss the Sunday parade in P though for anything.

Take your heart pills before the parade though - just in case. (don't want to spoil the surprise)

 

[ray]

We will be in PP for easter ........... unbelieveable that after almost 20 years and about 50 visits this is the first time

I know there is lots written in various posts but can someone who has visited recently talk me through what is worth seeing , what isnt etc

I know I have to be at Calvary by 8pm for the 9pm start of the Devilment ...... but don't know how long it takes ..... need to know because need to assess whether my Dad can stand for long enough ( he is nearly 80 )

What about the last suppoer on the thursday ..... what time? where? worth the trip ?

And then I think I read something about guns and doves on Easter Monday ..... what is that all about ?

Can I just be lazy and let one of you type me a nice post telling me where I need to be at what time on what day please ? and as a reward I will post a nice review on my return

It takes a couple of hours to come down the calvario, but the whole area is heaving with people,not much sitting potential. You can drive up to the top of the calvaroi and check out everything getting ready, the Romans, the crusifix etc, then drive down and gwt your dad a seat in a bar in the square towards the two big pizza restaurants. Outside of Palma, Pollenca is recognised as the place with the most spectacle for the Easter celebrations

 

[natartingstall]

Hi,
We're arriving in puerto pollensa on saturday evening 3rd April. Is there any parades we can go and watch on the sunday or monday?
Thanks in advance
Nat

 

[lollipop]

Look back through this post and you'll see what is on and where.

 

[natartingstall]

Thanks for that, i'd already done that before i posted. i wanted some specific info about puerto pollensa so we could go and walk to watch but i presume anything will be in pollensa itself.
Nat

 

[kate1]

As far as I know it does all happen in Pollensa rather than the Port - have never heard of any special celebrations in the Port itself. It's well worth a taxi journey to the old town to see it though.

 

[jonquet]

Sunday morning old town Sq 11am,thats all,I think but market will be there too.

 

[ray]

More or less everything happens in the old town, outside of palma it's the biggest and most celebrated Easter festival on the island.The programmes are now in the information offices,headed Setmana santa.Don't be put off because the picture on the front looks like someone from the Ku Klux klan, it's just how the different churches dress for easter8goes back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition)Each church wears different colour"KKK" style outfits- If you're here over Easter don't miss it ,whether or not religion floats your museli