Rain and a heavy hailstorm added further challenges for those attempting to conquer the 21-metre tree. | P. PELLICER
The day of Sant Antoni is one that honours the saint as a protector of animals.
Many of the blessings of animals tend to be confined to pets, but no animal - in principle - is excluded. In Muro, the blessings, combined with floats, are among the island's most lavish. Sheep and farm animals appear in great number in the centre of the village.
Apart from the blessings, this is a day that is known for the pine climb in Pollensa. It is a tradition for which the exact origin is subject to debate. Thought to be centuries old, the earliest documented record of 'El Pi de Sant Antoni' wasn't until 1873. So it comes with all its accumulated ritual, not least the transporting of the pine from the Ternelles finca.
The climb in Pollensa isn't totally unique to the day, as Puerto Pollensa has its climb - a tree that is brought by boat from Formentor - and which is in the afternoon rather than evening.
Dates and location:
- 17/01/2025 at at Plaça Vella - Pollenca Finalizado
Schedule:
Friday, January 17; Various times for blessings; 8pm (approx) for Pollensa pine, Plaça Vella