The tourist who visitis Sóller during Easter is amazed by the solemnity of the processions, the silence of the audience, the clank of the iron chains dragged through the streets and the ancestral sound of drums. Both children and adults of the village are involved in processions. It is very common to see kids dressed as Nazarenes and collaborating in every activity.
The tradition of Easter in Soller
When? The first Sunday after the full moon of spring. The date therefore varies between March 22nd and April 25th.
Where? Soller and its villages, Puerto de Soller, L’Horta, Biniaraix, Estiradors, Argiles and s’Alqueria des Comte.
Why? The religious feast of the Christian Easter is a Majorcan and Spanish centuries-old tradition where death and resurrection of Jesus is celebrated.
What to wear? Warm clothes for the spring evenings of Soller.
What audience is it for? For all ages. Any tourist, Christian or not, will be fascinated by the solemnity of the processions and the sentiments of the people.
What represents? The celebrations represent the death and resurrection of Christ in the Christian tradition.
The celebration of Easter has a deep root in the whole Spanish tradition. For this event Soller streets get decked with liturgical signs of Christ’s death. People get dressed as penitents Nazarenes and the hood (capirote) keeps people anonymous for penance of the sins committed. Often they carry large wooden crosses and altars decorated with figures of saints.
In Soller, the three most important processions are celebrated the nights of Good Thursday and Good Friday, and the morning of Easter Sunday. The procession of Holy Thursday is the longest of all and starts late in the evening walking along most of the streets of the town. Every Nazarenes confraternity, ten in total, displays its colors accounting more than a thousand penitents. On the other hand, the Good Friday procession is dedicated only to walk the streets surrounding the Plaza de la Constitution. On Sunday, the day of resurrection, the feeling of the people of Soller changes. It is a holiday, the town band plays a very important contribution giving a festive touch to Easter in Sóller.