PALM SUNDAY IN SANT JORDI DE SES SALINES

VIA CRUCIS IN SANT JORDI

Es Passos de Setmana Santa (in Ibiza is the way to say Via Crucis) is a tradition that is almost celebrated at all parishes of the island, although the celebration day for the via crucis varies from one parish to another. Most of them do so on the evening of Holy Thursday but there are some exceptions as in the church of Sant Jordi de Ses Salines that celebrates it during the evening of Palm Sunday. 

"Es Passos" in Sant Jordi are among the most beautiful on the island, since the majority of women participating in the procession, dressed in the suit, reminds the old Ibiza and, also with the mantle with which in the past, they went to church or was used for any religious acts.

It is fortunate that this parish manage to keep this lovely tradition and certainly all those involved in this act for a moment revive that old Ibiza that persuaded people who came from outside. It's wonderful that we can still see today these beautiful pictures that give us the churches during Easter but especially those that offer the residents of Sant Jordi.

The via crucis consists of fourteen stations that are developed around the church. Some are marked with a cross. At each stop, participants carrying the two images, they listen a gospel passage from each station, they say a prayer and ends with a song. In Ibiza there are various kinds of songs for "es passos" but the most popular is one that has its origins in Tarragona, and is sung in Sant Jordi; in other parishes are sung some others, that have a more ancient origin and are from the island itself.

The image of Christ crucified is the first to go in the way of these processions, or in some parishes just the one. Always carried by men followed by the women at the back. Another ancient tradition that still exists today in some rural churches of the island, the men sit separately from women.

Behind men, the image of Our Lady of Sorrows which is carried here by women, follow men. These two images are the only two that come in this procession of "Passos" or Way of the Cross in churches on the island.

For those visiting Ibiza this Easter or for residents of other villages on the island, you can see this celebration in Sant Jordi on Palm Sunday afternoon.

The devotion, ritual, customs and tradition come together at Ibiza's churches during Holy Week, also in Sant Jordi with the participation from the parish of San Jorge makes it even more special and colorful.