Catholic holidays - St. Antonio's Day (Festa di Sant`Antonio Abate)

On January 17 every year, the Catholic Church remembers Saint Antonio. Late December – early January – Christmas holidays, carnivals. In conjunction with these solemn events, the Memorial Day of Anthony of Egypt (Feast of San Antonio Abate) is held with honors. Christians revere him as the protector of animals. The Saint enjoys special love in Spain. Pets are brought to the church: cats, dogs, horses, goats and other animals. Catholics dress up their pets in unusual clothes and carnival costumes. The festive procession passes by the church, blessed and sprinkled with holy water by priests from the porch. In the evening, especially in villages, fires are lit, over which horse riders jump. In this way, the ritual of purification of animals takes place: all illness and disease are washed away. The celebration of honoring Antonio in the Spanish settlement of San Bartolome de Pinares became especially popular. Guests of honor, residents from surrounding villages, officials, and veterinarians are invited to hold fire events. Horses, scorched by flames, walk through the fire in colorful outfits. Anthony is considered the founder of monasticism and hermitage. He comes from a rich family. Born in the 3rd century, in the capital of Upper Egypt, Nen-Nesut. At a young age (at the age of 20) he lost his parents. In grief for his parents, guided by faith in God, the Saint decides to distribute all his acquired wealth to the poor and wretched and leave his father’s house. Anthony retires to the desert, 100 km from Alexandria, the northern capital of Egypt. This area was considered the most severe, deserted place. The saint spent all his time in prayer and fasting, surrounded by wild animals. The animals not only did not touch Antonio, but also, by the will of God, warmed him with their warmth during the cold season. After some time, the holy hermit headed towards his native village, where he settled in a tomb behind a closed door. Caring believers supported the ascetic monk, bringing him meager food. A life full of hardships turned Antonio into an exhausted man, ready to give his soul to God at any moment. Residents, seeing the critical situation of the hermit, moved him to the church. He could no longer walk on his own. Here, under the shadow of the holy vaults, the hermit recovered. The earthly life of the saint did not end there. Ahead were the exploits of hermitage in a Roman abandoned fortress on the eastern bank of the Pispir. After many years of ascetic solitude, Antonio came out to people twice, guided by God. The saint supported the believers in their persecution by Arius, in accepting martyrdom. Antonio died at the advanced age of 105 years. The saint felt the approach of death and gave the order to his disciples to maintain faith in God under any life circumstances; he ordered the body to be buried away from human worship.