Blessing of animals in Marbella on the feast of Saint Anthony

Marbella hosts this Saturday, January 17, starting at 6:00 PM in the church of the Divina Pastora neighborhood, an animal blessing event in celebration of the feast of Saint Anthony. The event will take place in the church square and will feature music and a joint blessing where pets brought by the attendees will be sprinkled with holy water. The event is part of the celebration of Saint Anthony the Abbot, who lived in the 4th century and was closely connected to the land and animals, which have been protected on this date since the Middle Ages. "Today they continue to be great allies, not only in the field but also in homes. The goal is to open this celebration to all neighbors who wish to participate, as they can bring dogs, cats, birds, or small rodents," explains the parish priest David Morales. The president of Marbella Canina, Sergio Moya, is hopeful that the event will kick-start a "collaboration that continues in the coming years" and encourages residents to participate in a "very significant day, which gives visibility to the animals of the citizens and reinforces the importance of responsible coexistence, in which the educated dog is included in urban life." For the councilor of Health, Alejandro González, "it is a pride to participate in such a special day, joining for the first time an event that highlights the role that pets today have as another member of the family. The City Council has to be present."