San Antonio as you've never seen it before: demons, bonfires, and traditions that unite generations

PalmSaint Anthony, patron saint of animals, arrives in the Balearic Islands every year with bonfires, demons, verses, and traditions that have survived for centuries. But what do we really know about this celebration? What is the story behind the saint and the rituals that accompany him?

With ours Complete compilation of pieces published in the ARA Baleares, You'll be able to discover the Sant Antoni festival from every angle: its history, characters, vocabulary, songs, and traditional cuisine. We'll also explain how each town celebrates the festival and what activities you can find, so you can feel part of the tradition, no matter where you're from.

History of Saint Anthony

Saint Anthony of the Asses, whom we invoke with bonfires, sausages, and blood sausages, was born in Egypt in the 3rd century, many years before Theodosius made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire (380). He is known as Saint Anthony the Abbot, although he was never an abbot nor did he found any monastery. Anthony, the son of wealthy Christians, was orphaned at the age of 18. One day, after attending Mass, he couldn't get out of his mind the words that Saint Matthew (19:21) put in the mouth of Jesus: "If anyone wants to be perfect, he should sell all his possessions and give to the poor, and he will have treasure in heaven." Thus, following the Gospel's teachings, he gave away everything, left his younger sister in good hands, and went to live in the desert. There, immersed in the solitude of a cave, far from all civilization, he would found the religious movement of the anchorites ("the withdrawn ones" in Greek).

One day, Saint Anthony received a visit from the devil, who, assuming various forms, subjected him to all kinds of sinful temptations. However, the saint resisted. Finally, a horde of demons attacked him at night and beat him severely. The following night, those evil beings returned, transformed into weasels, to reopen his wounds. But God drove them from the saint's cave by casting a beam of light upon them, so that they no longer bothered him. In time, the ascetic Anthony gathered a few disciples. Death supposedly surprised him on January 17, 356, at the age of 105.

Patron of the animals

The iconography of Saint Anthony the Abbot would be completed by depicting him with a book, a gaiato (a type of staff) from which a bell hangs, and a piglet, indicating his status as patron saint of animals. However, in the desert, his only companions must have been snakes and rats. According to legend, this patronage stems from a day when the saint cured a pig, which became his inseparable companion from then on—its adoption is not surprising, since the pig is the most important animal for food.

Popular Glosses and Tunes

The Sant Antoni festivities throughout the Balearic Islands are accompanied by songs and verses, and each municipality has its own, as well as a characteristic tune that defines it. Rafael Ginard, author of Popular Songbook of MallorcaHe asserted that these songs are "living history of our towns" and that is why we offer you a compilation of the most famous and well-known songs from each of the municipalities that celebrate this festival.

Vocabulary and festive phrases

The Sant Antoni festivities have a very local vocabulary, much of which is used only during the preparation and celebration of the festival. Some words are very specific to the area, while others are common throughout the island. ARA Baleares offers a festive vocabulary guide so that those unaccustomed to attending mass don't find themselves kneeling at the church entrance.

Sayings were passed down orally from generation to generation, but with social changes, their use is becoming increasingly rare. Here is a collection of sayings that remind us of the feast of Saint Anthony—and also that of Saint Sebastian—the elements of the celebration, or the current weather. They are set phrases, most of them taken from... Corpus of phraseology of the Balearic Islands, a work by Bárbara Sagrera Antich.

Gastronomy: spine and more

The "espinazo" (a type of stew) is arguably as important an element in the Sant Antoni celebrations in Sa Pobla as the bonfires or the giant papier-mâché figures. This dish, traditionally from the village, has spread throughout the island, and there are many places where "espinagas" are prepared during the festivities honoring the patron saint of animals. Although the traditional version was cooked with cabbage and eel, the recipes have evolved over the years, and today we find many different variations.

Days before the arrival of Sant Antoni, we offer you the traditional recipe (with eel), as well as other options that have become quite popular in recent years.