• About
  • Calendar

What's in Mexico

What's in Mexico

Tag Archives: Blessing of the Animals

18 Jan: Día de Santa Prisca (‘Feast of Saint Prisca’)

18 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by andrejabrulc in Celebrations and Fiestas, Film, Music and Dance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Blessing of the Animals, Children's Activities in Mexico, Evita Muñoz, Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, Feast of Saint Prisca, Festivals in Mexico, Guerrero, Ismael Rodríguez, Las Mañanitas, Nosotros los pobres, Pedro Infante, Rituals, Spanish Colonial Legacy, Taxco, What's in Mexico

Event

• 18 Jan: Día de Santa Prisca (‘Feast of Saint Prisca’) – Taxco, State of Guerrero. A feast day in the city of Taxco commemorating the patron saint of the cathedral, Saint Prisca.

Rituals

The celebrations begin with the blessing of animals on the Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot (17 Jan) [see the article]. After the blessing, the competition of best-attired animals begins in the Borda garden. The following day at dawn, hundreds of pilgrims from the state of Guerrero gather outside the cathedral in order to attend the singing of Las Mañanitas to Saint Prisca. Subsequently, an event of regional dancing and fireworks takes place and celebrations continue throughout the day.

Song: Las Mañanitas

Las Mañanitas (‘little mornings’) is a traditional Mexican song sung on birthdays, as an early morning serenade to wake up a loved one. According to the legend, Saint Prisca was a Roman girl, who was tortured and executed for her Christian faith at the age of 13. Thus, she is honoured as a child martyr.

One of the most famous versions of Las Mañanitas is from a 1948 Mexican drama film, Nosotros los pobres (‘We, the Poor’), directed by Ismael Rodríguez. It is sung by the main character, a poor carpenter Pepe ‘El Toro’ (played by Pedro Infante), to his adapted daughter Chachita (‘the young girl’) (played by Evita Muñoz).

Video

  1. Carlos Analco. “Las Mañanitas from Nosotros los pobres, con la chachita y Pedro Infante.” YouTube. 10 Aug 2016. Link [Accessed 23 Jun 2018].
Advertisement

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

17 Jan: Día de San Antonio de Abad (‘Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot’)

17 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by andrejabrulc in Celebrations and Fiestas, Games and Activities, Natural world

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Blessing of the Animals, Children's Activities in Mexico, Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, Festivals in Mexico, Iguanas, Oaxaca, Pets, Rituals, Spanish Colonial Legacy, What's in Mexico

EVENT

•17 Jan: Día de San Antonio de Abad (‘Feast of Saint Anthony the Great or the Abbot’) – Nationwide. A feast day commemorating the death of an Egyptian Christian, Saint Anthony the Abbot (c. 251–356 AD), the founder of the Christian monasticism.

Cult: Veneration of the Saint

Saint Anthony Abbot Blessing the Animals, the Poor, and the SickAccording to The Life of Anthony, written by Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 295-373), the saint gave his inheritance to the poor in order to live an ascetic life of a hermit in the desert of northern Egypt, pursuing his spiritual enlightenment in the company of animals. He is considered a patron saint of farmers and a protector of the animal kingdom as well as those inflicted with skin diseases. The popularity of his cult that reached its height in the Middle Ages was due to the Order of Hospitallers of Saint Anthony (founded first as a lay congregation by Gaston of Valloire near Grenoble in France in c. 1095, which later on became a monastic order in 1218). The institution, which spread rapidly through Europe, looked after people suffering from the common medieval disease, known as St. Anthony’s fire (or ergotism). The community kept animals in good health by hanging bells around their necks (to find them at night and to drive away evil spirits).

A miniature (above) – painted by Master of Saint Veronica, Cologne, around 1400–1410, MS. Ludwig (83.MS.49.2.recto), J. Paul Getty Museum – shows Saint Anthony the Abbot, dressed in a black habit of the order (with the Greek letter tau in blue known as Saint Anthony’s cross), blessing people and animals that surround him. On the right, several men carry crutches indicating that the saint was called on to prevent and cure disease in both people and animals.

Ritual: The Blessing of Animals

An iguana stands on her owners hat outside La Merced Catholic church during the Blessing of the Animals in Oaxaca, Mexico / © Chico Sanchez @ Alamy (ID BM07JJ)

An iguana stands on her owner’s hat outside La Merced Catholic church during the Blessing of the Animals in Oaxaca, Mexico / © Chico Sanchez @ Alamy (ID BM07JJ)

An integral part of the Feast of Saint Anthony in Mexico is a ritual of the blessing of animals. Domestic pets, caged and even farm animals – dressed in special outfits and often decorated with flowers, ribbons and bows in their hair – are taken to a churchyard to receive their annual blessing: sprinkled with holy water by a priest while reading a special animal prayer for their good health and fertility.

A boy holds his sheep by a leash as he attends the Blessing of the Animals celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico / © Chico Sanchez @ Alamy (BKKH87)

A boy holds his sheep by a leash as he attends the Blessing of the Animals celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico / © Chico Sanchez @ Alamy (ID BKKH87)

In the Old World, the animal blessing on the Feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot is intertwined with the pre-Christian tradition. The long period between the winter solstice (around 21 Dec) and spring equinox (around 20 March) was full of festivities that involved the rites of purification of animals, fields and people. Under the guise of Catholic feast days, local customs and rituals were tied to those ancient rites of fecundity and regeneration.

It seems likely that Franciscan monks introduced this tradition to Mexico during the Spanish colonial period. Local Mexicans adapted the tradition of venerating this saint, dedicating their farm work in his honour and asking him to bless their animals. Today, it is held in grateful recognition of the service given to the owners by the animal kingdom.

Video

  1. NTDTV. “Mexican Animals Get Traditional Blessing on Patron Saint Day.” YouTube. 19 Jan 2012. Link [Accessed 23 Jun 2018].

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook

Like this:

Like Loading...

Pages

  • About
  • Calendar

Blogroll

  • ANDREJA BRULC
  • Andreja Brulc's Blog

Calendar

February 2023
M T W T F S S
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728  
« Feb    

Archives

  • February 2017
  • January 2017

Categories

  • Art
    • Film
  • Celebrations and Fiestas
  • Crafts
    • Wood carving
  • Design
    • Typography
  • Games and Activities
  • Mexican cuisine
  • Music and Dance
  • Natural world

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • What's in Mexico
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • What's in Mexico
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d bloggers like this: