Devallamets, tradition and fervour during Holy Week

Jesus Christ’s descent from the cross, known locally as devallament, is one of the most spiritually charged acts in several municipalities across the Balearic Islands. This ceremony is performed on Good Friday, mostly in the afternoon or evening, although in some cases the devallament can take place in the morning, as is the case of the l’Anunciació de Palma church.

If you want to experience some of the island’s devallaments live and in person and immerse yourself in their fervour, we recommend complimenting this experience with other cultural activities related to heritage elements in the religious architecture of each area.

In Palma, the devallament of Crist de la Sang in the Anunciació church (General Hospital), takes place in the morning, with the image of Christ on the Cross, accessible for all churchgoers to worship him. This is one of the most popular devallaments in the Balearic capital, along with the Cathedral’s ceremony of Christ descending from the cross. The latter is considered a gem of medieval Majorcan theatre and it is performed by clergymen and representatives of local nobility.

In Polença, in northern Mallorca, the devallament, one of the oldest on the island, dated 1650, draws the biggest attending congregation. This moving ceremony takes place in Calvari as night sets. In this act, the venerated statue of Christ is lowered in procession and absolute silence down a 365-step staircase, one for each day of the year, until reaching the Virgen de los Ángeles church, completing a tour illuminated with torchlights carried by botherhood members.

Other notable Balearic devallaments are held in Felanitx and Arta in Mallorca, es Mercadel in Menorca (Sant Martí Church) and Sant Antoni Church in Ibiza.