Today, Spain celebrates the fiesta of its Patron Saint, Santiago Apóstol (St James), also known as San Jaime Apóstol, or here in Mallorca, Sant Jaume Apòstol. Every few years, this saint’s days falls on a Sunday as is the case today. That coincidence has a particular significance for pilgrims wanting to undertake the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, where a special mass will be held this morning. The Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofía arrived in Santiago de Compostela last night and will attend the Ano Xacobeo church service at the Catedral de Santiago. Later in the week, the Spanish Royal Family will travel to Mallorca, where they will spend most of the month of August at the Palau Marivent as they do every year. There, King Juan Carlos is expected to receive the Spanish prime minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, on August 11th.

In Mallorca, the Festa de Sant Jaume has its own importance whether the day falls on a Sunday or not. Sant Jaume is the Patron Saint of Santanyí, for instance, and festivities have been going on for a week or two by now, culminating today in an Ofici solemne (mass) in honour of Sant Jaume (11h00), to be accompanied by the Coral de Sant Andreu de Santanyí and the Cor Parroquial. The famous Santanyí organ will be played by Mateu Oliver and Francesca Suau. A big fireworks event is scheduled for midnight tonight.

Other Mallorcan pueblos celebrate Sant Jaume as well today, such as Alcúdia, Algaida, Binissalem, Calviá, s’Estanyol, Manacor and Sa Pobla. Programmes can be downloaded from this website, if you so wished.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: May 10th, 2010. The time was 15:18:11.