• Català
  • Castellano
  • English

The Three Kings of the East and their cavalcade's route across Formentera

cavalcadaformen_webThe 'Three Wise Men', known more commonly in Formentera as els Reis Mags, will drop anchor in La Savina at roughly 4:30pm on Saturday afternoon, 5 January, and as every year, they will arrive with page boys and royal committee in tow, their bedecked carriages ready to traverse the island unloading sweets and gifts as they go.

Maintaining the yearly tradition, the cavalcade will begin its run in the Port of La Savina and continue south toward Sant Francesc. Upon arrival, the procession will make its way into the town of Sant Francesc by way of Avinguda de Porte-salè and then proceed to the Plaça de la Constitució, where their Majesties the Three Kings will enter the church of Sant Francesc Xavier.

As they leave the church the wise men will move across the plaza to the balcony of the Formentera Island Council, where they will be received by the Council president. The kings and their entire troupe will descend Carrer Santa Maria toward Sant Ferran, later continuing by way of the main highway. Once at their next destination the comparsa will continue first along Carrer Sant Jaume, before advancing on foot toward the town square.

There, the cavalcade will enter the Sant Ferran church to attend the missa de reis (kings' mass). Finally, those who have patiently waited will be greeted at the tent erected on the plaza for the occasion and will receive the gifts brought by the procession.

Taking once again to the main highway, the entire troupe will direct its course toward La Mola. In the town of El Pilar de la Mola, the procession will descend the avenue toward the plaza and enter the church for another missa de reis mass service. The children of the town will have their chance to receive gifts at the end of the La Mola church service. Children in Sant Francesc will have to wait until Sunday 6 January for their presents from the wise men. Scheduled for 11:00am at es Jardí de ses Eres, behind the Sant Francesc town church, that service will immediately succeed the Three Kings mass held that day.

To wrap up the events of the day on 6 January, Formentera's Three Kings Association (Associació de Reis Mags de Formentera) will hold a celebration at 5:00pm in es Jardí de ses Eres with activities for children. The afternoon will include a representation of El Bosc Animat, a production chock-full of music, magic and colours where the main characters are the leaves and elves charged with decorating each of the island's towns while the children and adults of Formentera await arrival of the cavalcade.

Luxury floats
The floats of this year's cavalcade will be more lavishly decorated than ever before, with camels, gifts, and coloured-ribbons in addition the three separate carriages carrying the three wise men: Melchor, Gaspar and Balthazar. Two special decorated floats will also carry boys and girls from the island. These are the floats of Formentera's Associació de Reis Mags, to whom thanks are due for the organisation of this year's events.

Once again their Majesties the Three Kings of the East will come from faraway lands to fill the island's streets with cheer and magic, bearing gifts for the children of Formentera. And the entire cavalcade wouldn't be possible without the organisational work of Associació de Reis Mags de Formentera, La Comissió de Festes de la Mola (La Mola Local Holiday Commission) and the Formentera Council's Office of Local Holidays and Community Involvement.