The feast day of St Anthony falls on 17 January. The patron saint of animals is celebrated in two ways in Spain.

In the village of San Bartolome de los Pinares, about 100 km (62 miles) northwest of Madrid, horses are ridden through flames. In a tradition known as Luminarias, dating back 500 years, people jump their horses through bonfires on the narrow cobblestone streets to purify the animals with the smoke.

Pet owners celebrate San Anton by taking their beloved animals to a church to be blessed. Priests use holy water to bless all creatures great and small, mostly pet dogs, but also birds, mice, turtles, etc.