Easter 2021 in Mallorca joins the list of events canceled due to the pandemic. It is already the second consecutive year without this celebration. The bishop of Mallorca, Sebastià Taltavull, signed a decree that cancels any manifestation of popular piety to Lent, Holy Week and Easter that takes place outside the churches. This confirms the cancellation of the 2021 Holy Week processions in Mallorca.

Any act of devotion and piety during Lent and Holy Week may only take place inside churches, always respecting health regulations, capacity and personal distance. In addition, the new restrictions imposed in Mallorca from March 26 will be in force until April 11, fully affecting Easter. Large stores and shopping centers may open on Holy Thursday, not on holidays.

The traditional images of the most important procession in Palma, that of the Crist de la Sang, will not be possible this Holy Thursday. Neither do other traditional celebrations of Holy Week in Mallorca, as is the case in Pollença. According to municipal sources, everything indicates that there will not be the traditional ‘Davallament’ de la Cruz on the 365 steps of Calvary. Although it is still early and it will try to offer a “more digital” program with which the public, at least, is aware of the liturgical acts that can be scheduled.

semana santa mallorca 2021

Broadcasts from the Cathedral

The liturgical acts in the Cathedral on the occasion of Holy Week in Mallorca this 2021 will be broadcast in ‘streaming’ due to the reduction of capacity in the temple. For this, the Seu will enable its YouTube and Facebook channel with the following direct:

  • Palm Sunday: Mass of the Lord’s Passion at 10:00 am.
  • Via Crucis: Sunday 28 at 5:30 p.m.
  • Holy Monday: at 8:30 p.m. Concert by Projecte Home Balears behind closed doors. The Cathedral of Mallorca will host the traditional Easter concert, the Requiem of Requiems, for the benefit of Projecte Home Balears, but unlike other years, it will be behind closed doors. It will feature the Symphony Orchestra of the Balearic Islands, directed by Pablo Mielgo and the Choir of the University of the Balearic Islands, directed by Joan Company. The “Projecte Home” concert will only be broadcast on a delayed basis by IB3.
  • Holy Wednesday: Chrism Mass at 6:00 p.m.
  • Holy Thursday: Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 6:00 p.m.
  • Good Friday: Celebration of the Passion of the Lord and descent from the Cross at 6:00 p.m.
  • Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil at 7:00 p.m.
  • Easter Sunday: Easter at 10:15 a.m.

In addition, on March 26 it will be held in La Seu at 7:00 p.m. the day of the Holy Week Brotherhoods. The Eucharist will replace the usual procession of banners and the proclamation of Holy Week. This celebration can also be followed live on YouTube, Facebook and the Cathedral’s website.

Easter in Mallorca: with or without tourism?

The Government has announced the perimeter closure of the Balearic Islands from March 26 to April 11 as the trend reverts and returns to the medium risk area. Meanwhile, the tourism sector is debated between the arrival of travelers from countries such as Germany during Easter 2021 in Mallorca. As the restrictions increase. The president of the Mallorca Hotel Business Federation (FEHM), María Frontera, spoke of the need to “gradually lift restrictions. If the evolution of the figures allows it to gradually reopen, it must be done.

In the peninsula, the rest of the autonomous communities will also be closed perimeter. The de-escalation, which has already been announced that it will be slow in the Balearic Islands, still does not answer the big question for the sector. When will the reactivation begin? With the cancellation of the Holy Week processions in Mallorca, a week after Menorca did the same, it seems less likely that it will coincide with Holy Week.