It is a wonderful experience to follow the glorious Easter processions here in Mallorca whose content is varied depending on the day. One of the more vivid Easter processions is the Procesión del Silencio, (Silent Procession), held in complete silence and solemnity, with the quietness only broken by a deep and throbbing drumbeat, usually performed on Tuesday before Easter.
On Jueves Santo (Holy Thursday), the annual Processión de la Sang, the largest of the Easter processions, is held with hundreds of hooded penitents participating and carrying the crucified Christ through the streets to remind the believers of the meaning of Christianity.
As for why these hooded costumes are used in Semana Santa celebrations, the origins remain a mystery but the purpose is simple – their faces are covered in mourning, and also as a sign of shame for the sins they have committed throughout the year.
