Disseny IndígenaCAESEN

Home / Festivals /

Traditional festival in Mallorca

Cant de la Sibil·la (Song of the Sibyl)

At a glance

Medieval song of the Last Judgment that is performed in the churches of Mallorca on Christmas night. Mallorca preserved it when the Counter-Reformation…

Festivals
Traditional festival in Mallorca
Words
consueta, Matines, Sibil·la, «Al jorn del judici…»
Events
2
Song of the Sibyl — Palma . Church of Santa Eulalia. Feast of the Sibyl
Song of the Sibyl — Palma . Church of Santa Eulalia. Feast of the Sibyl — Joan Gené, CC0, Wikimedia Commons

What is

Medieval song of the Last Judgment that is performed in the churches of Mallorca on Christmas night. Mallorca preserved it when the Counter-Reformation banned it in almost all of Europe. World Heritage Site (UNESCO, 2010).

On i quan

  • All the parishes of Mallorca and La Seu, at Christmas Matins, before the Midnight Mass (December 24).

Personatges and objects

  • The Sibil·la: before a clergyman, then a child; Today in many churches a girl or woman dresses and espasa of the Sibil·la .
  • Escolanets with ciris (candles) that accompany it (to verify in each parish).
  • Organ between stanzas.

How is

  • A cappella singing, melody probably of Gregorian origin; the organ plays between stanzas.
  • The Sibil·la wears a matching silk tunic, cape and cap, and a sword raised before her face while she sings.
  • At the end he draws a cross in the air with his sword. In some towns he cuts a coca hanging from the pulpit.

Vocabulary

  • Sibil·la: prophetess; also who sings it.
  • Matines: Christmas Eve matins.
  • consueta: book of ceremonies.
  • «Al jorn del judici…»: first verse (to verify in the Seu version).

History

  • 10th century: documented in Catalonia, Italy, Castile and France.
  • 14th century: a Majorcan consueta describes the ritual; Codex found in 1908 in the Concepció convent.
  • 1572: Bishop Diego Arnedo prohibits it. 1575: the council restores it.
  • 1666: new attempt at prohibition (Bishop Manjarrés de Heredia); survives.
  • 19th century: current versions are transcribed.

Protection

  • Bé immaterial d'interest cultural declared by the Consell de Mallorca, 13/12/2004.
  • UNESCO, Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, 11/16/2010 (Nairobi).

Why is it design

  • Minimal scene: a voice, a sword, a dress, a pulpit.
  • Final gesture as a signature: the cross drawn with the sword.
  • Local resistance: a ritual design that survived censorship.

For the project

  • Inventory of Sibil·la dresses by parish: who embroiders them (link with brodats ).

Frequently asked questions

What is Cant de la Sibil·la (Song of the Sibyl)?

Medieval song of the Last Judgment that is performed in the churches of Mallorca on Christmas night. Mallorca preserved it when the Counter-Reformation…

What are the traditional words for Cant de la Sibil·la (Song of the Sibyl)?

Some words: consueta, Matines, Sibil·la, «Al jorn del judici…».

Sources

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

Open it in the atlas →