Jaltemba Sol
January 17th
This is a religious holiday celebrated in Mexico to honor the patron Saint Anthony. Animals are allowed in the churches throughout the country for this day for blessings. Often the worshipers bring livestock as well as pets.
In some communities after the church services, a feast is held for the congregation and visitors. Festivities often include competitions, sports activities and of course - fireworks.
About Saint Anthony
St. Anthony the Abbott, (San Antonio Abad) was born in Egypt in 251 to a wealthy family. His parents died when he was twenty and left him in the care of his older unmarried sister. He decided to follow the teachings of Jesus who said (Matthew 19:21) "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasures in heaven; and come, follow Me." and in 285 gave his wealth to the poor, put his sister in an early nunnery and decided to live in complete solitude.
San Antonio lived as a hermit in solitude in the desert. Legend has it that the devil fought Anthony regularly with boredom, phantoms of women and laziness. He overcame these through prayer and then moved to a tomb where he locked the door on himself for complete solitude. The devil, envious of his intense worship, beat him unconscious. After he recovered he again moved to the desert; this time to a mountain by the Nile. He lived in an abandoned Roman fort for twenty years but did not escape the continued warring of the devil against him this time with visions of wild beasts, snakes, scorpions and lions. San Antonio said "If any of you have any authority over me, only one would have been sufficient to fight me." and the visions ceased. God gave victory over the devil to San Anthony.
The emerged healthy, serene, and enlightened. Through his battles with the devil, advice and the serene and enlightened demeanor, his reputation grew. He began to have a following and Emperor Constantine wrote and asked for his blessing.
San Antonio lived to be 105 and is the subject of many paintings.
He is the patron Saint for animals, amputees, basket makers and weavers, butchers, cemetery workers, domestic animals, eczema, epileptics, erogoyism, hermits, hogs, monks, skin disease and a host of other interesting occupations and illnesses.
He is represented with a crutch, and is often portrayed with a bell on the end of a cross. Pigs are often at his side.