Animal blessings for Sant Antoni in Palma

About a hundred animals were blessed in front of the cloister of Sant Antoniet in the traditional Beneïdes of Palma. | P. BERGAS

Andrew EdePalma10/01/2024 15:08
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Mallorcan towns celebrate Sant Antoni and Sant Honorat from January 15 to 18 with diverse festivities. Events include processions, bonfires, demon dances, music performances, and animal blessings. Each town has unique activities, such as bighead processions, folk dances, and traditional rituals, providing a rich cultural experience during the celebrations.

Monday, January 15

  • Algaida, Sant Honorat Fiestas - 6pm: Firing of rockets. 6.30pm: Procession by bigheads and band of music. 7pm: Lighting of bonfires; 8pm: Barbecue; 9.30pm: Folk dance and music with Sedaç; 11pm: Correfoc, Dimonis Sa Cova des Fossar (Sineu). In the square.
  • Capdepera, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 7pm: 'Picarolada' gathering for Sant Antoni. Plaça Orient.
  • Manacor, Sant Antoni Fiestas - Rehearsal for the compline service. Mare de Déu dels Dolors Church.
  • Manacor - 7.30pm: Sebastià Gris (guitar), Magali Sare (vocals); Sant Antoni concert. Manacor Theatre, Avda. Parc. Ten euros. teatredemanacor.cat.

Tuesday, January 16

  • Alaro, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 5.30pm: Procession with bigheads, donkey figures, small dragon and children's gang of demons. Plaça Vila. 6.15pm: Lighting of bonfires. 10.30pm: Correfoc, Dimonis d'Alaro and Na Marranxa (dragon). From Avda. Constitució.
  • Alcudia, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 4.30pm: Sant Antoni and the demons (plus pipers) leave the town hall. Procession and the occasional 'kidnapping' of a child. 8pm: Bonfire, botifarró, sobrassada, bread and drink (two euros). Plaça Constitució. 9.30pm: Batucada. 10.30pm: Correfoc; Dimonis Arrels de la Vall (Mancor de la Vall). From Porta Sant Sebastià to Plaça Carles V.
  • Algaida, Sant Honorat Fiestas - 11am: Mass, followed by cossiers dance in front of the town hall.
  • Arta, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 9am: Wake-up procession. Demons, band of music. 7pm: Compline. 7.30pm: Lighting of bonfires.
  • Capdepera, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 2.30pm: Ringing of bells. 3pm: Demons and the band of music leave from C. Nou for the church. 7pm: Lighting of bonfires.
  • Manacor, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 2.15pm: Departure of demons. Cas Baciner. 2.30pm: Bell-ringing and dance. By the town hall. 7pm: Procession from the town hall with demons and band of music. 7.30pm: Singing of the 'goigs' of Sant Antoni during the compline service. Mare de Déu dels Dolors Church. 8pm: Lighting of the first bonfire in front of the Rectory. 10pm: Ball de bot folk dance; Galivança. Plaça Ramon Llull.
  • Maria de la Salut, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 7pm: Sant Antoni bonfire; 8pm: Correfoc, Dimonis dels Infernets. Plaça Pou.
  • Muro, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 5pm: Judging for the bonfires' competition. 7.30pm: Demons, Sant Antoni, Unió Artística Murera band of music. From Plaça Convent to in front of the town hall; dance of demons and Sant Antoni at 8.15pm. 8.45pm: Lighting of bonfires and correfoc; Dimonis Sa Pedrera (Muro), Dimonis de Hiachat (Santa Margalida), Dimonis A Lloure (Felanitx), Espiadimonis (Felanitx), Dimonis de Calvia; 10.30pm: Traditional folk music and dance; Revetlla d'Algebelí, Sedaç. By the town hall and church. 12.30am: The Hawaiians and DJ. Plaça Sant Martí.
  • Pollensa, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 6pm: Judging of the bonfires starts. 9pm: Lighting of the bonfires. (Also in Puerto Pollensa.)
  • Porto Cristo, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 1.30pm: Demons' dance. By the municipal office. 6.30pm: Mass and singing of the 'goigs', then lighting of bonfires.
  • Sa Coma, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 7pm: Gathering of demons by the youth centre. C. Margalides. 7.15pm: Departure of the demons and first dance. 7.30pm: Lighting of bonfires, and visits by demons and pipers.
  • Sa Pobla, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 2.30pm: Departure of the demons and Sant Antoni from the church square; procession and dances. 6.45pm: Ceremony of the historical sanctioning for the start of Sant Antoni Eve. In front of the town hall. 7.45pm: Departure of the paralympic Grif demons, Dimonis d'Albopàs, the Obreria and town hall demons, plus giants, bigheads, junior bigheads and the Sa Pobla band of music. From the town hall to the church. 8pm: Compline and acclamation of Sant Antoni. 9.15pm: Dance of the demons and of the gangs of bigheads and junior bigheads, accompanied by the Sa Pobla band of music; 9.45pm: Pyromusical spectacular; 10.15pm: Singers and ximbomba players. Plaça Major. 12.30am: Ximbombas and glosadors. Plaça Alexandre Ballester.
  • Sant Llorenç, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 10am: First dance of the demons. By Sa Rectoria. 5pm: Demons depart from Sa Rectoria. 7.30pm: Lighting of bonfires, demons' dance, singing of the goigs for Sant Antoni. Plaça Església.
  • Son Carrió, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 8pm: Dance of the grand demon at Ca n'Apol-lonia. Departure of the demons' gang for lighting of bonfire and barbecue. Plaça Església.
  • Son Servera, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 4pm: Sant Antoni procession, demon and floats. 7.30pm: Compline service. 8pm: Lighting of bonfires. Demon, band of music. Plaça Sant Joan.

Wednesday, January 17

  • Alaro, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 4pm: Animal blessings. By the church.
  • Alcudia, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 4.30pm: Animal blessings, Sarau Alcudienc folk dance. From Passeig Pere Ventayol.
  • Arta, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 8.30am: Cavalcade. 11am: Animal blessings, floats. 7.30pm: Folk dance and dance of the demons. Sports centre.
  • Capdepera, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 3pm: Animal blessings; parade to Plaça Orient.
  • Inca, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 10am: Mass. Santa Maria la Major Church. Followed by blessings of small animals.
  • Manacor, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 9.30am: Gathering for the processions at various points. 11am: Processions and animal blessings. 4pm: Demons' visit to the Hippodrome. 8pm: Final dance of the demons. Plaça sa Bassa. 20.30: Mass.
  • Muro, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 10.30am: Firing of rockets and planting of giants. By the town hall. 11am: Mass; Coral Miquel Tortell, Revetla d'Algebelí, Es Reguinyol pipers. 3.30pm: Animal blessings and floats.
  • Maria de la Salut, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 3.30pm: Animal blessings and floats. Plaça Pou.
  • Palma, Sant Antoni Fiestas - From 10.00am: Animal blessings. Cathedral esplanade.
  • Pollensa, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 9.30am: Mass. 10am: Traditional procession and animal blessings. 11.30am: Setting off from Plaça Almoina to the Ternelles finca. 12.30pm: Lunch at Ternelles. 2pm: Departure of the pine. 8pm (approx.): Raising of the pine. Plaça Vella.
  • Porto Cristo, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 4pm: Animal blessings and floats. Plaça ses Comes.
  • Puerto Pollensa, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 9am: Bus leaves from behind the church to go to Formentor. 11am: Mass. 11.30am: Procession and animal blessings. 12 midday: The pine arrives in the port. 1.30pm: Planting of the pine in Plaça Miquel Capllonch.
  • Sa Pobla, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 10am: Procession with the pipers Germans Aloy. 11am: Solemn mass plus offering of farm produce and dance with Marjal en Festa. 12.30pm: Dance of the bigheads. Plaça Major. 4.30pm: Blessing of the animals in the church square with the pipers and giants. Parade of floats, accompanied by the band of cornets of the Sant Antoni brotherhood and the demons of the Obreria de Sant Antoni. Followed by procession from the town hall to the church and then Can Planes Museum.
  • Sant Llorenç, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 3.30pm: Animal blessings; 6pm: Ball de bot. Plaça Església. 7pm: Mass. 7.30pm: Barbecue and folk dance with Tramudança. Plaça Església.
  • Son Carrió, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 10.30am: Mass. 11am: Animal blessings and floats. 12.30pm: Demons' dance.
  • Son Servera, Sant Antoni Fiestas - 8.30am: Demon, Sant Antoni, band of music - procession and 'chase' to Plaça Sant Joan. 12 midday: Mass. 3.30pm: Sant Antoni, demons, pipers, band of music, Plaça Nova. 4pm: Animal blessings. 6pm: Final dance of the demon. Plaça Sant Joan.

Thursday, January 18

  • Palma - 8pm: Balearic Symphony Orchestra, Maria Camps (soprano), Joan Lainez (tenor); zarzuela works by Luna, Sorozábal and others. Teatre Principal, C. Riera 2. 2-35 euros. teatreprincipal.com.
  • Palma - 8pm: El Tiempo entre Costuras (musical). Palma Auditorium, Paseo Marítimo 18. 30-50 euros. auditoriumpalma.com.