San Antón

PUESTO DE SAN ANTON

The feast of Saint Anthony de Abad, the patron saint of animals, is celebrated on January 17. It is the first celebration of the year in Orihuela and it is also one of the most popular. It is celebrated in the San Antón or saint Anthony neighbourhood at the foot of the mountains next to the palm groves of Orihuela, which are of Arabian origin and one of the prettiest parts of our city. The mass, the procession, the music, the stalls of the fair and traditional games, such as 'Caliche' all help to make the celebrations a wonderful event. After the mass, keeping in line with tradition, animals are blessed to protect them for the year from danger or being hurt.

One of the events which bring numerous visitors is the now famous 'Concurso de Charlatanes' or the competition organised whereby the sales people on the stalls ‘sing to sell’ their ware. This 'crying out' for custom is considered to be a talent and famous nationally.

At the end of the day, as is the custom, there is a raffle, the prize being a sow and her litter of piglets. Proceeds from the raffle go to charity. Not so long ago, this sow would have been bought as a piglet herself and reared in the neighbourhood. A few days before the festivities, a cart pulled by oxen would have taken the sow around all the towns and villages so that people would see the prize and thus be encouraged to buy tickets.

The Royal Order of Saint Anthony (la Real Orden de San Antón), coinciding with the day of its patron, bestows honours on a range of people and institutions who have contributed to the good of Orihuela in some special way in the year in question.