Las Luminarias 2025, Spain.
A man rides a horse through a bonfire as part of a ritual in honor of Saint Anthony the Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals, in San Bartolome de Pinares, Spain, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Every year, in a Spanish village located about 100 kilometers (60 miles) northwest of Madrid, a centuries-old tradition is held in honor of St. Anthony the Abbott, the patron saint of animals. In this ritual, riders lead their horses through bonfires set ablaze in the streets, a practice believed to cleanse and protect the animals for the year ahead. The festivities began at dusk on Thursday, with large piles of tree branches stacked along the street, ready to fuel the fires, while locals gathered, enjoying wine, beer, and sweets.
In San Bartolome, a village where livestock and agriculture were once common traditional livelihoods, locals recount that the tradition began centuries ago after a mysterious illness swept through the village’s animals.
A horseman jumps over a bonfire in the village of San Bartolome de Pinares in the province of Avila, Castile and Leon in central Spain, during the opening of the traditional religious festival "Luminarias" in honour of San Antonio Abad (Saint Anthony), patron saint of animals. Every year, horses leap through bonfires in a 'purification ritual,' forging a connection between the town and its tradition of tending to livestock and agricultural practices. This equally captivating tradition offers a unique spectacle. Believed to date back over 500 years to the time of the plague, Las Luminarias serves as a purification and protection ritual for animals.
Las Luminarias has faced long-standing criticism for being harsh on the animals involved. To ensure their safety, riders take precautions hours before the event begins. They wrap the horses' tails in fire-resistant tape and braid their manes. Some apply a protective glaze to the manes to prevent them from catching fire as the horses jump through the flames. Others go further, tightly braiding the manes, tying pink and red ribbons to the taped tails, and adorning the horses with decorative headpieces for added flair.