The climb from Pi to Pollença in a Sant Antoni marked by the broken tree trunk and the rain

PollençaThe Pi de Pollença has finally been raised, despite a day marked by rain and the trunk breaking during its transport. Seventeen-year-old Joan Rebassa accomplished this feat at approximately 9:50 p.m. in a packed and emotional Plaça Vella, after such an intense and unexpected day. With the Pi finally in place, Pollença has brought the Sant Antoni festivities to a close, in a year that will be etched in the collective memory.

The day began at 9:30 a.m. with the service for Saint Anthony at the Parish Church of Our Lady of the Angels. At 10:00 a.m., the traditional procession and blessings once again filled the town's streets, with a notable presence of dogs and horses, but also rabbits and even a hamster or two, further demonstrating the popular and inclusive nature of the festival. At 11:30 a.m., from L'Almoina, the entire town of Pollença set off for Ternelles to retrieve the pine tree, accompanied by the Xeremiers Orats and the Xeremiers de la Font del Gall. Entire families, young people, the elderly, and groups of friends shared the journey, reinforcing this sense of community that makes the pine tree much more than just a festive event.

In Ternelles, the atmosphere was optimistic despite the forecast. Around 1:00 PM, a brief rain shower fell, but it didn't dampen the community meal or the general mood. The Pi, which at that time was about 22 meters tall, left Ternelles at 2:00 PM heading towards the town, beginning a long and demanding journey. The weather, however, ended up dictating the outcome of the journey. From 5:00 PM onwards, it began to rain heavily, and although the intensity decreased later, the rain continued to fall for much of the evening, adding difficulty to an already complex transport. The Pi arrived in Pollença, but the route to the town center was bumpy. Around 7:30 p.m., when the log was already in the village, the first break occurred at the top: the pole, about two meters from the head, hit a wall as people pushed. The incident generated moments of tension and uncertainty among those present. About fifteen minutes later, the pine tree broke again, this time about ten meters from the base, with a very loud noise that heightened the sense of alarm. Finally, about ten meters of the log remained standing, which forced a reorganization of the event. However, the ritual was not broken. The pine tree was planted upright in the Plaça Vella (Old Square), and, as night fell, the culminating moment arrived. In silence, with the square expectant and after a day full of difficulties, Joan Rebassa hoisted the log and raised it to the top, unleashing the pent-up emotion of a village that had experienced the day with bated breath.

With the Pi finally in place, Pollença has concluded the Sant Antoni festival as only it knows how: with pride, with perseverance, and demonstrating that even when everything goes wrong, the town is capable of upholding the ritual. Because the Pi is not just a tree trunk standing straight in a square, but a way of being and feeling that, year after year, remains alive.