Don Stefano blesses the animals

This morning 30 horses and riders rode up to the Pasticceria Lucchesi in Barga Giardino. They dismounted and the riders were offered a glass or wine or non alcoholic drinks for some of the younger riders, while the horses were offered a sugar cube to keep them sweet.

After a brief 15 minute stop they were off again down to San Pietro in Campo and then on round to the Club Ippico – the horse riding stables in Loc. Nebbiana. It was that time of year once again for the annual blessing of the animals. The blessing was presided over by the Proposto Don Stefano who sprinkled holy water over the assembled horses, dogs and even, believe it not, a tortoise taken specially to the stables for the occasion.

[View with PicLens]

The blessing marks the saint’s day of St Anthony Abbot, patron saint of domestic animals and the countryside, which is officially on 17th January, but has now been moved to the nearest convenient Sunday. Historically, the blessing of animals dates back to the ancient Roman celebration of the Ferie Sementine, a pre-spring fertility festival to honour the gods Cerere Terra, during which a pregnant animal was sacrificed and garlanded oxen were paraded about. By the 8th century, this Roman festival had evolved to the point where work animals – donkeys, horses, and oxen – were given a symbolic “day off” while their owners sought the Church’s divine protection for the creatures upon whose hooves their very livelihood depended.

QXdEQZnYeA8

Click on the link below to hear a brief interview with Sergio from the Club Ippico (in Italiano)

<br /> <br />
[display_podcast]