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ARCHIVED - Friday 17th January Blessing of the animals in Cartagena
The lively fiestas in this district of Cartagena include horseback parades and the blessing of the animals
The principal act of blessing the animals is at 12 midday on the 17th January.
The Cartagena district of San Antón embarks on the annual fiestas in honour of the saint after which it is named on 6th January this year, staging a series of events which include not only the traditional blessing of animals (of which San Antón is patron saint) but also a variety of entertainment and activities for children and adults alike.
The actual feast day of San Antonio Abad is 17th January, when the key activity related to fiestas in honour of San Antón in Spain is the blessing of animals, which takes place following Mass. This is a popular family activity in which participants bring along their pets to be sprinkled with holy water, and in this district of Cartagena the pets participating in the blessing are not only cats, dogs, goldfish and hamsters, but also horses, which play an important role in the proceedings.
Horses participate in one of the first activities of these fiestas; the Romería, when the figure of the saint is brought down from his chapel in the cemetery of San Antón where he resides throughout the year, and are also very much part of the day of San Antón, parading in the plaza in front of the church after the blessing.
San Anton is often referred to as “the first monk”, as he shut himself away in the desert to pray and meditate, at one point being walled up inside his cell for 6 months so that he could pray and reflect in peace. A quantity of hard, dry bread was made to sustain him during this time, which is where the tradition of making the little rolls or breads of San Anton comes from.
These rolls come in many forms and are said to bring luck (and money) all year round to those who keep them in their purse, and the money raised from their sale goes towards church funds. Prior to the feast day of San Antón they’ll be baked and then blessed, and are on offer around the fiestas in return for a donation.
While shut away for six months San Antón is said to have yearned for something else to eat, a little meat to enliven his diet, for which reason meat is often eaten during celebrations in his honour. Inland, meat is barbecued, but in Cartagena the dish of choice is grilled octopus, and you’ll find many outdoor bars in the district around the church selling it throughout the fiestas of San Anton.
The Barrio of San Anton Abad is at the Corte Ingles end of Cartagena, about a 5-minute walk from the store and from the municipal archaeological museum. Looking at the map, find Calle Hermanos Pinzón, and at the bottom is Calle Andújar. The Plaza de la Iglesia is the little triangle where these two meet, and all the events are focused around this point. Click for Calle Andújar, Cartagena.
Parking is at a premium in this area during the fiestas, so park as near as possible in the side streets and be prepared to walk the last 5 minutes, particularly on the day of the blessing.
Events scheduled for the main weekend of the Fiestas de San Antón in 2020 are the following:
Friday 17th January Day of the blessing of San Antón
8.00: Diana Floreada (wake-up call)
11.00: Holy Mass in honour of San Antón.
12.00: The blessing of the animals outside the church in the Plaza de la Iglesia.
13.00: Grand vermouth dance at the casino with music by Minerva.
18.00: Procession through the streets with the figure of the saint.
19.00: Music and dancing in the Local Social.
Sunday 19th January
12:00 The blessing of the animals is repeated, followed by a paella to rais e funds for the parish.
For more local news, events and other information go to the Cartagena section of Murcia Today.
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