Saint Anthony the Abbot is one of the most beloved saints in history, regardless of one's creed or lack thereof. It is said that Saint Anthony, also known as San Antón, discovered wisdom by observing animals and divine love through nature. That is why he is the patron saint of animals and is so beloved among animal lovers. With "his day" approaching, we are going to tell you a few things about him.
He is said to have been born in Egypt, around 251 AD, into a wealthy family. However, his life, after donating all his possessions, was marked by spiritual retreats in inhospitable places. He was reputed to be a wise and peaceful man, which is why many of his contemporaries followed him wherever he went. This forced him to move further and further away from civilization to achieve the lifestyle he sought: prayer, penance, silence, fasting, rejection of sensory pleasures... in search of the spiritual perfection of the soul. He fought against all kinds of temptations, as depicted by Bosch, and laid the foundations of the ascetic model for future Christians.
The origin of the feast day dates back to the year 1000, when Saint Anthony the Abbot was established as a holiday in France. It later spread throughout the continent. In the 14th century, Saint Anthony the Abbot became a saint of great relevance due to a particularity that had nothing to do with animals. Long before becoming their patron, he was the defending saint against a terrible disease that wreaked havoc at the time: ergotism.
Images of Saint Anthony the Abbot very early on introduced a pig at the saint's feet. According to some authors, this little pig represents the demons that the saint was able to subdue. Others indicate that the pig refers to the animals that kept him company during his retreats, some of which even helped him in adverse situations according to some myths. Another legendary passage narrates that the saint healed some wild boar piglets, and they never stopped accompanying him, as a sign of gratitude, for the rest of his days.
The patronage of Saint Anthony the Abbot over animals has been linked to the passage of the wild boar and similar ones. There is unanimity that the saint took animals as a model of natural behavior, free from human corruption. Hence his assimilation as a defender of animals: initially wild ones, although over time his scope of action extended to working animals and also pets.
The tradition of blessing animals is believed to date back to the colonial era and continues to this day. In fact, the blessing of animals on January 17th takes place in many places around the world. In the Vatican, St. Peter's Square is filled with animals for his feast day, which are blessed by the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica and Vicar General. In the Valencian Community, for example, more than 320 towns join the celebration. This video is a good example of this, where we see people of all ages accompanied by their pets, to seek the protection and favor of the saint.
If you want to know the prayer to Saint Anthony to pray for pets, a true plea of love and animal respect, keep reading here.