Saint Anthony Abbot Festival – Blessing of the Animals

A rural tradition in the heart of the Tuscia region

The Saint Anthony Abbot Festival in Montefiascone, in the province of Viterbo (Lazio), is celebrated every year around January 17th, the day the Church commemorates the Egyptian hermit saint who has been considered the patron saint of animals and the farming world for centuries. In Montefiascone, the event does not take place in the historic center overlooking Lake Bolsena, but in the Fiordini area, a small hamlet that becomes the gathering point for the entire territory for one morning.

The blessing of the animals

The most anticipated moment is the blessing of the animals, which takes place in the square in front of the Chiesa del Riposo immediately after holy mass. Every year, the event attracts hundreds of people accompanied by their animals: mainly dogs and cats, but also horses, farm animals, and, in recent editions, even a llama. It is a rite that combines popular devotion with daily affection, restoring the festival to its original meaning, when the working beasts of the Viterbo countryside were brought before the priest.

The Saint Anthony bonfire

As in many towns in Central Italy, the festival is linked to the focarone, the large bonfire lit in honor of the saint. Saint Anthony Abbot is often depicted with fire, a symbol of purification and protection against evil, and the lighting of the bonfire symbolically marks the beginning of the new year's agricultural cycle. Around the fire, the community gathers, chats, and warms up on one of the coldest mornings of the Lazio winter.

Hot chocolate and tortucce

The gastronomic chapter is entrusted to local associations: they serve hot chocolate and tortucce, the classic savory fried dough of the Tuscia region, prepared at the stand set up next to the church. These are simple things, but it is precisely this convivial atmosphere that makes the day a true community festival rather than a staged tourist event.

Organizers

The event is promoted by the Fiordini Onlus Association with the patronage of the Municipality of Montefiascone and the collaboration of various local entities, including the National Association of War Mutilated and Invalids, the "Le mosse" committee, As.vo.m., and Libera Voce. The volunteer nature of the organization explains the format: free admission, no ticket office, all entrusted to the work of the residents.

Why attend

• One of the most popular animal blessing events in the province of Viterbo
• An authentic rite, not reconstructed for visitors
• Suitable for families and pet owners
• An opportunity to discover Montefiascone, the Rocca dei Papi, and Lake Bolsena in the low season

Visitors from out of town can easily combine the morning with a visit to the historic center of Montefiascone, famous for the Basilica of San Flaviano and the Est! Est!! Est!!! wine, one of the oenological symbols of Lazio.