Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot — Bonfires and Blessing of the Animals
17 January 2026 — Ding-ding! The sparks glow and the animals are blessed!
On 17 January the Catholic Church honours Saint Anthony the Abbot, an Egyptian hermit of the 3rd–4th century, regarded as one of the founders of monasticism. In Italy he is the patron saint of domestic animals and farmers, so the day is marked by blessings of livestock, horses and pets in front of churches. In many villages and towns large bonfires are lit, known by various local names, the most famous being the Fòcara of Novoli in Apulia, and people gather around them to sing, share food and chat. The fires are often linked with the start of the Carnival season and with hopes for a good harvest and a fruitful year. In traditional imagery the saint is shown with a small bell and a pig at his side, which inspired our little traveller. The date is fixed, falling in mid-January, when the days are slowly growing longer and the long winter nights reveal the stars early in the evening.
Flying across the sky: An ethereal, bluish-silver constellation-like figure of a little village piglet made of luminous dots and fine connecting lines, with a tiny glowing bell at its neck
Sources
Positions in Astronativa are astronomically exact. The interpretation is for inspiration. · Glossary · Terms · Privacy · Thank you