Pancharities

The pancaritats are pilgrimages or traditional collective walks of a festive nature that are carried out at the end of the Easter cycle. They are destined for certain hermitages, sanctuaries, hills, groves or other unique places where shared snacks and lunches are held. At these gatherings, which culminate the Easter holidays, it is traditional to finish the panades and other homemade pastry products typical of these dates, such as rubiols and crespells. Paellas or other collective meals are also served.

Depending on the locality, the pancaritats are held on different dates, always after Easter Sunday: Easter Monday (popularly known as the Second Easter Festival), Easter Tuesday (or Third Easter Festival), Easter Wednesday (or Fourth Easter Festival) and Angel Sunday (that is, the Sunday after Easter).

The word pancaritat derives from the Latin pane caritatis (‘bread of charity’), which designated the custom of the former juries of the Kingdom of Majorca (and also the rich houses of the island) of distributing bread to poor people, who went in procession to certain places, generally of religious significance, every year on Easter Sunday.

The pancaritats are exclusive to Majorca and Menorca and constitute one of the most precious assets of the living heritage of popular religiosity. Participating in it is a joy and allows you to experience first-hand the shared joy of Easter, a festival so important that, to celebrate it, a single day is not enough.