Last Sunday, 17 January: our medieval village celebrated the Festival of Saint Anthony (Sant’Antonio Abate), the patron saint of animals, and / or butchers and gravediggers. A blessing was given to all animals and pets (in Toffia, the owners brought along their horses, ponies, donkeys,sheep, goats, pigs and dogs). There was a great feeling of being part of a community.
Toffia has a population of just over 1,000 people, and yet they are able to organise a series of events and festivals during the year.
Standing in the morning winter sun, while the Toffia band played and the locals stood with their recently blessed animals...it felt good to be part of this small but very important italian community.
