SAN BARTOLOME DE PINARES, Spain — About a hundred horses jumped through bonfires in a purification ceremony on Sunday during the Spanish festival of “Las Luminarias,” which was held for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The traditional nighttime celebration takes place in San Bartolome de Pinares every Jan. 16, the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, Spain’s patron saint of animals. Revelers rode their horses through the narrow cobble-stoned streets, which according to tradition, purified the animals with the smoke and flames of the bonfires for the coming year. After an hour of horses jumping over flames, revelers then took to dancing and drinking. About 100 horses and their owners took part in the festivities, Reuters witnesses said.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer January 17, 2022 13:35 UTC