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Holy Week in Spain: dates, palms, olive branches and flowers

Spain · Nationwide

Palms or olive branches are carried on Palm Sunday. To contribute flowers to a procession float, choose them with the brotherhood preparing its decoration. These are different uses within Holy Week. The dates change each year and are shared across Spain for these Catholic celebrations. The calendar covers Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday.

Carnation against a dark green background
Colour and shape vary between cultivars. Use it as a visual reference rather than to identify a plant.

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The Holy Week series includes dates from 2026 to 2046. The agenda can calculate later years but the file and subscription currently end in 2046.

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Apple or Google decide when to check for updates. We cannot guarantee that changes appear immediately. Importing the file gives you a copy that does not receive our future corrections. Importing again may duplicate events. We do not add alarms, although your calendar may apply its own alerts.

Shared dates that change each year

Palm Sunday falls seven days before Easter. In 2026 the period runs from 29 March to 5 April. Maundy Thursday is 2 April and Good Friday is 3 April. The calendar calculates each year’s dates from Gregorian Easter.

A region does not celebrate Palm Sunday on a different date because it has different public holidays. Regional working calendars and local programmes vary. This entry covers eight days including both Sundays. Announcements and other earlier events have their own dates.

Palms and olive branches for Palm Sunday

The blessing and Palm Sunday procession are the occasions for palms and olive branches. Choose a size you can carry along the route. A handmade palm and an olive branch are different from a bouquet given as a gift.

For children, look for a small palm that is easy to hold. You could ask the craftsperson for a handheld palm and explain the approximate height you need. The parish programme gives the place and time of the blessing.

Valencian Community: white palm in Elche

In Elche white palm is linked to the Palm Sunday procession and a local craft. Pieces can be simple or have ornamental work. Compare dimensions and the space needed to transport the piece without crushing it.

This example belongs to Elche. It does not mean every town in the Valencian Community carries the same kind of palm. If you are taking part elsewhere, use its own programme to plan the route and blessing.

Andalusia: olive branches in the Montes de Granada

In the Montes de Granada area olive branches are used instead of white palms. This is a useful local reference if you are celebrating Palm Sunday there. It does not establish one arrangement for all Andalusia.

Flowers on a procession float serve another purpose. The cover carnations illustrate a possible flower contribution to a brotherhood. They do not depict a palm or replace Palm Sunday olive branches. The brotherhood guide explains how to distinguish flower handovers from financial contributions.

Flowers for a float and contributions to a brotherhood

To help with floral decoration, start with the material the display team needs. A quantity of loose stems may suit it better than a finished arrangement. Agree species, colour and reception before ordering so your contribution can fit into the display.

A procession’s departure time is not the flower delivery deadline. The linked guide gives examples from Los Santos de Maimona and Málaga that show different ways to contribute. Saving this occasion preserves the complete period rather than each brotherhood’s delivery slots.

Which flowers to choose

Compare flowers to choose the format, colours and care that suit the occasion.

Frequently asked questions

Does Holy Week have a fixed date?

No. It depends on Easter and changes every year. Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter Sunday. The liturgical date is shared across Spain although public holidays and local events vary.

Are palms and olive branches carried throughout the week?

Their use in the blessing and procession belongs to Palm Sunday. For an offering or decoration on another day, follow that event’s instructions.

What if I have been asked for wheat for Maundy Thursday?

Clarify whether the request is for ears of wheat, a pot of sprouted grain or another material for the altar of repose. That order needs different preparation and delivery from a Palm Sunday palm. Do not replace it with a flower bouquet without agreement from the display team.

Are carnations required for Holy Week?

No. The cover is a reference for flower contributions. Each float’s display team chooses its flowers and colours and these differ between brotherhoods.

What does importing this occasion add to my calendar?

One all-day event spanning Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday inclusive. The subscription includes dates from 2026 to 2046. It does not include procession times or make every day in that period a public holiday.

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