The Fiestas of Sant Antoni & Sant Sebastian in Mallorca
A week of traditional celebrations
Spain, being predominantly Catholic, worships its saints devoutly. Every day of the year has a saints name associated with it and some are honoured with celebrations. January is a busy month, with Saint Anthony's day on 17th of January and Saint Sebastian following shortly after, on 20th January.
The festivities flow into each other, and you are highly likely to see people dressed up as devils (demoni) throughout the week, although this is historically connected to Saint Anthony who was repeatedly tempted by the devil in the desert.
Mallorca established numerous devil dancer groups after an inspiring fire dancing show by the Iguana Teatre in the 1980s and the correfoc (fire running) has become a new ‘tradition’ on the island, drawing young and old out to dare the devils, or be dared by the devils, depending on your point of view. Spectacular, loud and often wild performances have enthralled residents and visitors alike, but this year the devils will play a minor role as they make way for a huge firework display.
Saint Anthony lived as a hermit from 251 to 356 and legend has it that he once cured a terminally ill black piglet. Pigs and pig keeping are an important part of Mallorquian farming, then as now. On the Sunday closest to the patron’s day, animals are blessed in Saint Anthony's name. The local priest takes up residence in a prominent square in villages across Mallorca and its residents, many dressed in their traditional finery, parade their animals past him. He blesses each of them in turn, ensuring they have long and fruitful lives. Horses, donkeys, pigs and even domestic 'companions’ such as dogs, cats, birds and the occasional tortoise receive a sprinkling of the holy water. Mayhem often ensues as excited four legged and two legged beings mingle in the streets. Traditional musicians and beautifully decorated horse-drawn carts, often laden with children dispensing sweets and confetti, proceed along the streets lined with onlookers.
A night or two before the blessing, the same village squares set up barbecues for free. Everyone has a festive time, grilling their own meats, traditionally “torrades” sobrasada, a typical Spanish sausage. This, again, is in honour of Saint Anthony who was said to have cured Ergot's disease, also known as ‘Saint Anthony's fire’.
The further you go into the country and the villages, the more you experience true Mallorquian life. That is food for thought when searching for a winter holiday destination with a difference as Mallorca offers culture all year round.
Find out more about this years Sant Antoni Fiesta.
Saint Sebastian (256 to 288) is the patron saint of the city of Palma de Mallorca. He refused to renounce Christianity and was, as a result, shot with arrows and left for dead by Roman emperor Diocletian. Sebastian was nursed back to health only to be tracked down again and martyred to death, thus becoming the saint who was martyred twice and patron of archers and athletes.
Palma de Mallorca dedicates a full week to Saint Sebastian festivities, combining the Saint Anthony's blessings, numerous free open air music concerts, parades of “Gegants”, giant papier mache figures and art exhibitions all around the city. Another curious attraction will be “Drac de na Coca”, the dragon of Coca, a fibre glass sculpture built by a local craftsman commemorating a mysterious crocodile. It was said to have been accidentally set free some 350 years ago. Legend has it that it grew up inhabiting Palma's sewers, frightening the locals and occasionally eating small children, until it was killed.
A programme of this years San Sebastian festivities in Palma can be found in our Events Calendar. Alternatively, check your local paper for details. The culmination of the celebrations is on the 22nd of January with either fireworks or fire runs (the infamous Correfoc), or if the council are feeling flush - both!
