Logo
LifestyleLifestyle

Horses jump through bonfires in Spanish purification ceremony

NypAlexMead@RoundtableIO profile imagefeatured creator badge
Alex Mead
featured
Jan 17, 2022

1 of 12
Annual “Luminarias” celebration on the eve of Saint Anthony’s day, Spain’s patron saint of animals, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares
About a hundred horses jumped through bonfires in a purification ceremony on Sunday during the Spanish festival of “Las Luminarias”, which was held for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. REUTERS

2 of 12
Annual “Luminarias” celebration on the eve of Saint Anthony’s day, Spain’s patron saint of animals, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares
The traditional nighttime celebration takes place in San Bartolome de Pinares every Jan. 16, the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, Spain’s patron saint of animals. It was cancelled last year because of pandemic restrictions. REUTERS

3 of 12
Annual “Luminarias” celebration on the eve of Saint Anthony’s day, Spain’s patron saint of animals, in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares
Revellers rode their horses through the narrow cobble-stoned streets, which according to tradition, purified the animals with the smoke and flames of the bonfires for the coming year. REUTERS

4 of 12
Spain Saint Anthony Bonfire Festival
“This comes from thousands of years ago. So that animals did not get unwell, the old priests would bless them with fires so that they would jump and be purified,” said Fermin Abad, 64, a local resident. AP

5 of 12
Horses purified by fire during Las Luminarias festival in Spain
About 100 horses and their owners took part in the festivities. EPA

6 of 12
SPAIN-TRADITION-FESTIVAL-ANIMAL-RELIGION-HORSE
Despite coming under criticism from animal rights groups over the years, organisers told Reuters that the horses were not harmed due to precautions taken by riders to cut horse hair to avoid burns. AFP via Getty Images

7 of 12
TOPSHOT-SPAIN-TRADITION-FESTIVAL-ANIMAL-RELIGION-HORSE
A horseman rides through a bonfire in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares in the province of Avila in central Spain. AFP via Getty Images

8 of 12
***BESTPIX*** Spain’s Horse And Fire Luminarias Festival 2022 Returns After Pandemic Hiatus
Men ride horses through bonfires during the annual “Las Luminarias” on January 16, 2022 in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain. Getty Images

9 of 12
SPAIN-TRADITION-FESTIVAL-ANIMAL-RELIGION-HORSE
A horseman rides through a bonfire in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares in the province of Avila in central Spain. AFP via Getty Images

10 of 12
SPAIN-TRADITION-FESTIVAL-ANIMAL-RELIGION-HORSE
Horsemen ride through a bonfire in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares in the province of Avila in central Spain AFP via Getty Images

11 of 12
APTOPIX Spain Saint Anthony Bonfire Festival
A man rides a horse through a bonfire as part of a ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals. AP

12 of 12
Horses purified by fire during Las Luminarias festival in Spain
A man rides a horse through a bonfire as part of a ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals. EPA

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy