ANIMAUX DOMESTIQUES ET AUTRES

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Chaque année, des dizaines de personnes ne manqueraient pour rien au monde cette cérémonie, afin que leurs animaux de compagnie "soient protégés par celui d'en haut", explique Alvaro Lopez, un mannequin de 21 ans venu avec son coati, un mammifère de la même famille que les ratons laveurs.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    "Depuis que je viens ici, elles n'ont jamais été malades", assure Juan Acosta, un pré-retraité de 61 ans, portant comme chaque année ses deux chiennes Yorkshire couvertes de toiles cirées confectionnées sur mesure.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      A l'intérieur de l'église, un prêtre célèbre une eucharistie adressée à un public insolite  : des chiens de toutes races, des lapins, des oiseaux et autres furets.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Les fidèles font aussi la queue pour acheter les traditionnels petits pains de Saint-Antoine, dont la légende dit qu'il faut le garder chez soi "pour qu'il ne manque pas de pain à la maison", explique le prêtre.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Cette année, les fidèles à l'église Saint-Antoine n'étaient pas venus que pour leurs animaux. "Bénissez-nous tous", criaient certains, espérant bonheur et chance pour toute l'année.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Cette fête, dont la tradition remonte au 19ème siècle en Espagne, est très ancrée à Madrid. D'autres régions, comme les îles Baléares et la ville de Burgos, dans le nord, la célèbrent aussi.