Overview?
Feast of Saint Anthony Abbot – Blessing of the Animals
A tradition that has endured over time and that is deeply felt in Monteleone di Spoleto. During Mass, the holy card of Saint Anthony, or the calendar prepared by the committee of devotees, is distributed to everyone.
In Monteleone di Spoleto there was not a single house that did not have the image of the Saint displayed prominently, especially in the stable, where the “holy card” was added each year alongside the old one. And when the holy card became too worn and faded with time, it was never thrown away; instead, it was burned, to avoid the sacrilege of it ending up on the ground under the animals’ feet.
On this day, it was customary to go to Mass to receive the new holy card to be nailed to the stable door, and to receive from the priest the blessed bread to be eaten—small bread rolls for each family member—and to be crumbled into the animals’ feed.
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