The Day the Animals went to Church
No sooner have the “Bon Nadal” greetings and decorations been taken down there is yet another Saint’s day. January 17th is the Festa Sant Antoni -the Catholic patron saint of domestic animals. The religious story relates that Antoni lived as a hermit in the Egyptian desert where he underwent many temptations by the Devil. His connection with animals arises from a rather vague story about him healing a pig and he is often depicted with a pig as a companion.
As is often the case there is also a connection to a pre-christian Roman celebration. This was a fertility rite in which a pregnant animal was slaughtered and livestock was paraded around the streets. Post-Christianity, this developed into the custom of giving working animals a day off and taking them to be blessed by the Church.
So yesterday morning I woke to the sound of horses whinneying in the square at the top of our street! 10.00am on a Sunday morning and the square was packed with people accompanied by their dogs and cats, a water turtle, a tank of fish, a sheep, horses and carts and donkeys wearing hats! 
Of course no Spanish fiesta would be complete without food and several fires were roasting salted sardines, tomatoes and onions to make the local country sandwich called a “Clotxa”. Washed down with red wine of course! The trestle tables were topped with checked paper tablecloths and dishes of olives and everyone from babes to grannies ate and chattered.
At 11.00am prompt the church bells chimed. Dogs and donkeys not being accustomed to stand in orderly lines (or at least not together!) it was kind of organised chaos as the people queued at the church steps for the priest to bless their pets. Dressed in white robes, he duly blessed them and splashed them with water – yes even the fish tank!
The blessings over, the parade around town began. The sheep headed the procession walking without leash or tether at the side of his owner!
