On Monday 3rd, Mijas once again commemorated San Blas with the blessing, in the chapel of San Antón, in Osunillas, of 250 bread doughnuts as tradition dictates. Bishop of Sebaste and Christian martyr, San Blas is considered to be the patron saint of those suffering from throat ailments. With a mass, officiated by the priest Víctor Manuel Valero, from Granada, the annual celebrations in honour of San Blas began. This is one of the three most important celebrations held in this small church located on the outskirts of Mijas Pueblo. The so-called Stewards of San Antón are the guardians of these traditions and are responsible for the maintenance of the chapel and the preparations for the day.
- Mijas volvió ayer a conmemorar San Blas con la bendición de 250 rosquillas.
- Nuria Luque.
"When the church was restored, a neighbour from Mijas gave the figure of the saint as a gift and from then on, on the 3rd of February, the festivity is celebrated, and the tradition is to do so with the blessing of doughnuts, the three most important acts that we celebrate in the chapel are San Antón, San Blas and San Isidro", said the president of the Stewards, Toñi Barranquero.
In the chapel you can see the figures of San Antón and San Blas, the latter a gift from the Loza family from Mijas. "When the hermitage was rebuilt in 1981, the stewards decided that one of the statues that should preside over the hermitage was San Blas, it was a gift from a family in the village and was placed in worship on the day of San Blas", said José Ignacio Ruiz, neighbour from Mijas.
- La misa fue oficiada por el sacerdote Víctor Manuel Valero, de Granada.
- Nuria Luque.
Traditions that are passed down from generation to generation
"My parents came when they were young and I have continued, and that is why I also wanted to be part of the brotherhood, trying to maintain the tradition, that is why I have also brought my daughters", said Fernando Quero, secretary of the Stewards of San Antón.
"It is a tradition to come with my mother and we usually come with my brother every year, and when I was a kids, I used to come with my friends, but today due to the bad weather there is only a few of us", said Elena Barranquero, a neighbour from Mijas.
A snack prepared by the stewards closed the day, where the doughnuts were blessed in memory of the healing of a child who, according to the story, was choking on a thorn and San Blas, with breadcrumbs, saved his life.
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