All proposals for Easter in Catalonia 2023

Holy Week is one of the most important celebrations of the Christian calendar and, in Catalonia, it is lived with great devotion and tradition. This week, which culminates on Easter Monday, is full of ceremonies and religious acts that commemorate the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

During Holy Week , the passions are celebrated, theatrical performances of a dramatic nature, which recall the evangelical episodes of the life of Jesus Christ, some of the most relevant are La Pasión de Esparreguera or La Pasión de Olesa.

When is Holy Week celebrated in Catalonia in 2023 and what are the most important days?

Holy Week is celebrated from Thursday the 6th to Monday the 10th of April 2023. Although in schools and educational centers their vacations begin a few days before, therefore from Monday the 3rd to the 10th of April.

April 2, Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week

The events of Holy Week in Catalonia begin on Palm Sunday with the blessing of the palms and olive branches, which are taken to the churches and hung in the houses for protection. From there, there is a week full of religious acts, processions and theatrical performances. Some important events that are celebrated during this day is the Procession of the Burreta in the Ciutat Vella of Barcelona.

Although the majority of municipalities Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, in some municipalities of Catalonia it begins on Friday of Sorrows, which corresponds to the Friday before Palm Sunday, the celebration is dedicated to the Virgen de los Dolores.

April 6, Holy Thursday

The celebration continues with Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the last supper of Jesus Christ, before being crucified. Some important events that take place in Catalonia for this day are the Dance of Death in Verges, the Procession of the Mysteries in Badalona   or the Night of Silence in Mataró.

April 7, Good Friday

One of the most significant acts of Holy Week in Catalonia is the Stations of the Cross, which takes place on Good Friday. This ceremony, which represents the path of Jesus Christ to the cross, is celebrated in churches and also in public places, where the faithful follow an itinerary that simulates the path of Calvary. Cities like Tarragona, celebrate the Procession of the Holy Burial on Good Friday, in which more than 4,000 people are currently grouped into guilds, brotherhoods and congregations carrying mysteries in this procession. The steps are preceded by the armed men who break the silence with the sound of their drums. Declared a "Traditional Festival of National Interest" by the Generalitat de Catalunya in 1999 and reclassified in 2010 as a "Heritage Element of National Interest".

April 8, Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is a day of mourning, which commemorates the passion and death of Jesus Christ, and the whole world prepares for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For the Catholic Church, it is a day that there are no sacraments.

April 9, Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday

Without a doubt, the most important event of all the events that take place during Holy Week is Easter Sunday, a day of joy that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, three days after his death and crucifixion.

April 10, Easter Monday

In Catalonia, Easter Monday, the day after Easter Sunday, ends the celebration of Holy Week. It is also considered a holiday in Catalonia, and families get together to prepare and eat the "Mona de Pasqua", a traditional cake with chocolate as the main ingredient, which the godparents give to their godchildren.

Holy Week is a unique festivity that attracts thousands of people to the streets. The best way to preserve this traditional festivity is by living it at street level!