Every year, in the days surrounding the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the churches of the island of Mallorca open their doors to display one of the least-documented Marian traditions in the Catholic world. The llit de la Verge — Catalan for “the bed of the Virgin”— is an ephemeral liturgical installation depicting Mary at rest before her bodily assumption into heaven, surrounded by candles and basil plants. This year, 81 such installations are on display across the island: 24 in Palma and 57 in the towns and villages of the Part Forana (the area outside of the city of Palma, the capital). 

The tradition of the llits in Mallorca began in the 14th century. These installations represent the vigil over the Virgin before her assumption to heaven to be crowned as Queen. The oldest surviving figure currently on display is the one in the Cathedral of Mallorca, which dates to the 15th century. Most of the llits displayed today are from the 17th century, though some are more recent.

The feast is known in Mallorcan popular usage under several names — l’Assumpció, la Mare de Déu Morta, la Mare de Déu d’Agost, la Mare de Déu Dormida — each showing a different emphasis within the same theological mystery. The Assumption was defined as dogma by Pius XII on November 1, 1950, but the feast itself and the devotional tradition surrounding it predate that definition by many centuries, stretching back to the earliest Christians.

Icon of the Dormitio Virginis preserved in the Church of Santa Eulalia in Palma de Mallorca

Andrea Jemolo / Aurimages via AFP

One of the defining moments of this year’s observance took place on the evening of August 14 at the Cathedral of Mallorca, where the image of the Mare de Déu Morta was carried in solemn procession from the high altar to its traditional llit before the main portal, after solemn Vespers sung by the Cathedral Choir — a revival of an ancient ceremonial practice. The earliest documentary evidence for this practice at the Cathedral dates to the mid-15th century, when a solemn procession carrying the image of the Virgin was already recorded as part of the Assumption celebrations.

The number of llits on display has grown steadily in recent years, as the result of a coordinated effort by the Consell de Mallorca and the Diocese of Mallorca to document, preserve, and promote the tradition as intangible cultural heritage. In Palma, 17 llits were accessible in 2022; by 2025 the figure had reached 24, where it stands again this year. In the Part Forana, the number has risen from 50 in 2022 to the current 57. Most installations are accessible between August 14 and 22; hours vary by location and can be consulted through the platforms of the Consell de Mallorca and the Diocese.