The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, will claim, before the Holy See, this event that commemorates the only Mallorcan saint

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The year of Saint Catherine Tomàs

The Consell de Mallorca begins the year of Santa Catalina Tomàs with a series of events in Rome to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the saint’s death. Pope Francis will receive the island’s institution in audience next Wednesday, together with the Bishopric of Mallorca.

A delegation led by the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, will highlight the role that the island’s institution has played over the centuries in the process of beatification of the island’s only Mallorcan saint: “the Gran i General Consell was the true promoter of the saint’s beatification and set in motion a whole series of diplomatic efforts and popular events that involved different generations while awaiting the Holy See’s pronouncement”, says Galmés.

One of the examples, says the president, is the parade of the saint’s carriage, “which is the oldest civil festivity in Mallorca and which encouraged and consolidated the people’s devotion to the saint”.

The president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, will be accompanied by the vice-president and councillor of Culture and Heritage, Antònia Roca, the councillor of the Presidency, Antoni Fuster, and the island’s director of Culture, Guillem Ginard. In addition, the Mallorcan entourage also includes the Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martínez; the Bishop of Mallorca, Sebastià Taltavull; the Mayor of Santa Margalida Town Council, Joan Monjo, and the Mayor of Valldemossa Town Council, Nadal Torres.

Tuesday, 19th March
The Mallorcan delegation will be received on Tuesday, 19th March, at 1.30 p.m. by the Spanish Embassy to the Holy See, specifically by Ambassador Isabel Celaá. Then, in the afternoon, the Consell de Mallorca will hold the conference Arguments and coordinates for a global restoration of the Tomasian myth, in which the speaker Gabriel Carrió, the bishop of Mallorca, Sebastià Taltavull, and the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, will take part. It will be held in the Dalí Hall of the Cervantes Institute.

Wednesday, 20th March
Pope Francis will receive in audience the delegation of the Consell de Mallorca on Wednesday morning, 20th March. The main objective of the president of the Consell de Mallorca, Llorenç Galmés, is to convey the beginning of the year of Santa Catalina Tomàs to commemorate the 450th anniversary of the death of the saint: an event that, he stresses, must be remembered because she is the only Mallorcan saint. For this reason, a set of books has been prepared and will be presented to Pope Francis: Evolució constructiva de la Catedral de Mallorca; Vida abreviada de Santa Catalina Tomassa (Ciutat de Mallorca – 1950); L’ull Viu. Tres Fotògrafs miren Barceló a la Catedral de Mallorca and La farmàcia monàstica de la Reial Cartoixa de Valldemossa.

In addition, during the afternoon, the Mallorcan delegation will be able to make a private visit to the Vatican Apostolic Library and, finally, the bishop of Mallorca, Sebastià Taltavull, will celebrate mass in the church of Santa Maria in Monserrato.

Thursday, 21st March
On Thursday, 21st March, the Abbot General of the Lateran Canons Regular, Franco Bergamin, and the Vicar General, Edward González, are scheduled to pay an official visit to the Basilica of San Prieto in Vincoli. The Mallorcan authorities will be able to see the chapel of Moses by Miquel Àngel and the crypt, where the chains of Saint Peter can be seen. In addition, they will also be able to enjoy a special visit not open to the public to the tomb of the Maccabees.