Hundreds of Spaniards watched horses gallop through towering flames in the village of San Bartolomé de Pinares, hours before pet owners in Madrid took their dogs and cats to church for blessings with holy water.
The events take place every January to honor St. Anthony the Abbott, a patron saint associated with domestic animals, and they reflect two different forms of belief about protection for the coming year: one centered on a horse-and-fire spectacle and the other on a church ritual.
In San Bartolomé de Pinares, population 500, about 100 kilometers (60 miles) outside Madrid, the tradition known as Las Luminarias draws crowds to the street. Riders guide horses through bonfires in the middle of the roadway, an act locals describe as a way to purify the animals for what comes next.
“In the old days, it was held because it was believed that the branches and the smoke blessed the horses and donkeys, which were used for farming, as a form of healing to prevent them from getting sick and to ensure they continued working in the fields,” said attendee Antonio Patricio, 62.
Festivities began around nightfall Friday, as giant stacks of tree branches were placed along the side of the street. Hours later, the stacks were lit and became fires that animals had to jump through—or around—while locals shared wine, beer and sweets.
Animal rights groups have criticized Las Luminarias, but locals say the horses are rarely or never injured. Hours later, on St. Anthony’s Day, the focus shifted from bonfires to churches, where pet owners in some parts of Spain took their dogs and cats to be spritzed with holy water.
That blessing, believers said, is also meant to bring animals health and protection for the year. In central Madrid, pet owners waited outside the entrance of St. Anthony’s church as Catholic priests blessed passing animals; many of the dogs wore winter vests, while the cats appeared more bewildered.
Madrid resident Rosa Gómez said she was happy to take part. “I’m happy to be able to do it,” she said, holding up her dog Kia. Gómez added that Kia was given to the family six years ago by a household that couldn’t take care of her and that since then the dog has “kept us great company.”
Ahead of Las Luminarias, riders took precautions with the horses’ appearance and safety. Hours before the spectacle, they wrapped horses’ tails in fire-resistant tape and braided their manes, and some applied a glaze on the mane to prevent burning as the animals leaped through the flames. Others tightened the braids and tied pink and red ribbons to tape-wrapped tails, finishing with decorative headpieces.
Locals also described older explanations for the tradition. They said Las Luminarias began after a mysterious illness swept through the village’s animals centuries ago, after which people believed smoke could purify and heal horses.
In Spain’s increasingly emptying countryside, participants said the yearly ceremonies help bring people back—family, friends and onlookers—to the village for a single night. They also described the early-morning return home, with clothes and hair smelling of smoke.