{"id":5361,"date":"2024-05-31T16:38:51","date_gmt":"2024-05-31T14:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vacalia.com\/blog\/?p=5361"},"modified":"2025-07-08T09:58:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T07:58:09","slug":"diumenge-des-be-tradition-in-menorca-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vacalia.com\/blog\/en\/diumenge-des-be-tradition-in-menorca-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Diumenge des Be. Tradition in Menorca"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the most important events of the year is undoubtedly the Sant Joan festivities in Ciutadella<\/a>, Menorca<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fiestas are normally held from the 1st to the 25th of June, with the 23rd and 24th being the most important days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we are going to talk about one of the most important celebrations that precedes the most important days and which is not so well known, the Diumenge des Be, which is celebrated on the Sunday before Sant Joan.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival of Sant Joan in Menorca dates back to the beginning of the 14th century, and has important traditions such as the \u00abDiumenge des Be\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Diumenge
Diumenge des Be<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

This celebration has transcended the local sphere, attracting thousands of visitors every year, especially from the other Balearic Islands and Catalonia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is the \u00abDiumenge des Be\u00bb or day of the lamb?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abDiumenge des Be\u00bb is celebrated on the Sunday before Sant Joan (Saint John’s Day)<\/strong>, a prologue to the festivities. Originally, on this day, alms were also collected for the organisation of the festivities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand this special day, it is necessary to know its protagonists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Homo des Be<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Each year a man is designated as the \u00abHomo des Be\u00bb. He must carry a horned lamb chosen by the \u00abCaixer Pag\u00e9s\u00bb. During the previous week, on the farm of the \u00abCaixer Pag\u00e9s\u00bb, the ram, the protagonist of the weekend, is washed in order to leave its wool immaculate white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On Saturday, the ram is taken from the \u00abCaixer Pag\u00e8s\u00bb estate to its inn in Ciutadella, where the \u00abvetlla des Be\u00bb begins at 9 pm. Throughout the night and early morning, the ram, placed on a wooden platform, will be visited by the inhabitants of Ciutadella and the whole of Menorca. It will be the centre of attention, attracting the attention of people of all ages who will want to take photos with it. The community will join in the celebration, opening their homes and sharing food and drink in a festive atmosphere of camaraderie.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Ram<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

On Sunday, first thing in the morning, \u00abEl Homo des Be\u00bb that represents the figure of San Juan Bautista with the lamb of God on his back will go to pick up this splendid animal to carry it on his shoulders and walk it around Ciutadella.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"The
The Homo des Be<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As tradition dictates, the lamb will wear ornaments on its white wool and the \u00abHomo des Be\u00bb will wear sheepskins, painted crosses on its bare feet, arms and forehead and will wear a visor embroidered with an \u00abAgnus Dei\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This figure is not alone in his task, as he has an assistant who helps him load and unload the lamb during the festivity. There is no protocol for the assistant’s dress, so he normally wears a jacket, shirt and long trousers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In gratitude for his help, the helper receives a quarter of the value of the lamb and half of the cigars given to him during the visits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Caixers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abJunta de Caixers\u00bb are horsemen dressed in black and white whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, today they are in charge of the running of the festivities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u00abCaixers\u00bb represent the different social classes of the time:<\/h6>\n\n\n\n