Ibiza Easter Processions: Santa Eulalia

I've been to see the procesions many times, so thought it would be nice to get a report from someone who's never been before. Didi Mae Hand is a young student from London who's here on holiday and went to see the procession in Santa Eulalia for the first time. Here's what she thought, accompanied by her own photos.

"This procession is not for spectators who hope to be consumed by an event of overwhelming pace and urgency. Indeed Santa Eulalia’s Easter parade is one of the most ponderous sacraments I’ve ever witnessed, and with each step covering exactly half the length of a marcher’s foot it is of little surprise that the eerily colourful procession takes over an hour to reach the church.

Friday’s parade in Santa Eulalia was one of a series happening across Ibiza over the Easter weekend in veneration of the crucifixion and subsequent resurrection of Jesus. To illustrate this sombre series of events sets of cloaked and hooded figures paraded down the street in ever more sinisterly coloured garb, guarding various effigies of Christ in an increasingly worrying physical state.

Indeed the whole parade would have been very eerie were it not for the infallibility of the locals. Lining the streets 4 deep the crowd could not help but break ranks, running into the middle of the procession to bat away the straying hand of a young Roman soldier from his own tempting orifices or to have their picture taken next to the anonymous and shrouded figure of a loved one.

 
I confess I have never seen anything quite like the procession of Santa Eulalia, infused as it was with Pagan undertones and outbursts of community spirit, and despite finding the experience a little unsettling I am happy to have observed such a long standing Mediterranean ritual – I just wish I could have observed it a little faster."