Cleansing Fire - holiday Las Luminarias

In Spain, once again celebrated the day of St. Anthony the Abbot, who is considered the patron saint of animals. During this holy day, passing the days of Carnival Catholic priests bless animals and pets, which hosts lead the church.
At the same time in the Spanish village of San Bartolome de Pinares (San Bartolome de Pinares) there is a centuries-old tradition - the feast of Las Luminarias, which is traditionally held on the eve of Saint Anthony. During the feast the villagers hold a ceremony of "cleansing", passing on horseback through the burning fires.






St. Anthony, a hermit, was the fact that he was one of the first saints who tried ascetic life in the desert, completely cut off from civilization.



In the morning the town square, where the church sent picturesque procession of painted carts, behind which are horses, cows and donkeys in ribbons and garlands.



During the celebration of the day of St. Anthony the villagers of San Bartolome de Pinares, men and women riding horses through the blazing fire.



A similar ceremony is held every year on the night before the celebration of the patron saint of animals.



According to the long tradition of the participants of the action passing on horseback through the ritual fires that spread out around the village.



Purified by fire - the most spectacular part of the festival Las Luminarias.



It is believed that after the horse got the blessing of the priest, they also have to go through the ceremony of "purification" fire and smoke.



Annual ceremony "cleanse» Las Luminarias is rooted in the 18th century.



To watch the ceremony in the village, with a population of just 700 people, thousands of people gather.



People and horses waiting for their turn to enter the "purifying fire».



This year in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares lit about 20 ritual fires.



During the holiday pass "fraternal banquet": hand out to passers-by and sausage meat, which they liberally washed down with wine.



It is believed that close to Saint Anthony Abbot is always a blazing fire, "the fire of St. Anthony" (ie, shingles, herpes zoster) - very painful and dangerous viral disease.



This disease is so called by the people, precisely because the cure for it was called St. Anthony the Abbot, who was suffering from painful sores all over his body, brought upon him by Satan - the similarity of hellfire, very similar to the "fire of St. Anthony».



One of the spectators watching the ceremony climbing on a dead tree.



Feast Las Luminarias - «cleansing" fire.