- The festival is held in honor of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of animals
- It is said that he walked over hot coats to avoid succumbing to temptation
- Animals were made to walk and run through fire together with riders
People have once again made horses leap and race through fire as part of an annual religious festival in the name of Spain’s patron saint of animals.
Horses and riders were seen running through flames several meters high in the streets of Vilanova D’Alcolea, in Castellon, eastern Spain, as part of an annual festival in honor of Saint Anthony.
The saint, canonized more than 790 years ago, is much loved in Spain, and days-long festivals are held in his honor across the country.
Participants believe that horses that jump through the flames of specially constructed bonfires will be purified in the coming year. Organizers claim the festival is about 500 years old.
According to legend, Saint Anthony was visited by the Devil dressed as a woman while he lived in the desert.
Horses and riders were seen running through flames several meters high in the streets of Vilanova D’Alcolea, in Castellon, eastern Spain
According to the region’s tourism office, the horses are blessed and a procession begins to march through the streets of the village
After the procession, a race known as the ‘tropell’ takes place, where riders race their horses bareback to a finish
Wanting to avoid temptation, he walked over the burning coals of a fire to distract himself
According to the region’s tourism office, the horses are blessed and a procession begins to march through the streets of the village.
There, horses and riders are forced to jump over ‘spectacular fire barriers’ set up along a predetermined route, known as the matxà.
After the procession, a race known as the ‘tropell’ takes place, where riders race their horses bareback to the finish line.
Pastries known as ‘coques’ are given to competitors who reach the finish line, and the distribution of the pastries is intended to demonstrate the strength of each horse and the rider’s skill in handling it.
While local groups have defended the practice for years, rights groups have condemned the festival as animal cruelty
A man jumps over the fire during the Matxa portion of it during the Saint Antoni festival
The rider with the most coques receives a live chicken as a prize and then there is dancing.
While local groups have defended the practice for years, rights groups have condemned the festival as animal cruelty.
The city’s mayor, Maria Jesus Martin Gomez, disagreed, previously saying: “All I have to say is that the animals don’t suffer at all.
He added: ‘The government of Castile and León assigns us a veterinarian and the town hall hires another, who makes rounds around the village during the festival.
“Every year they put out a report that has always been positive and nothing has ever happened here.”