In Abbasanta, Sant'Antonio is a family affair. This year, the celebration being organized in his honor, Sant'Antoni de su fogu , a deeply felt and well-attended event for the Abbasanta community, will see three generations of participants .
The prior of the festival is Antonio Palmas , who will turn 78 next September. The prioress is his 43-year-old daughter Valeria, a farmer. Among the eighteen-year-olds attending the festival, who will carry one of the tuve (large hollow trees) that will be lit in honor of the Saint on January 16th, is his granddaughter Lara Careddu, a final-year student in the Industry and Crafts for Made in Italy program. It's a significant coincidence, but in reality, a very strong bond has always tied the Palmas family to Sant'Antonio. Antonio Palmas, originally from Ogliastra, arrived in Abbasanta in the 1970s when he was a helicopter pilot in the Carabinieri. He later married Rafaela Serra. Antonio Palmas previously served as prioress with her.
"This is the third time I've done it. Now there are more requirements regarding the security plan and responsibilities. And then the Antonios who participate, despite the fact that there are about sixty registered members, are few. With supporters, we reach about 25, but the young people are very few," he says. Then the prior continues: "Filling in this role is a commitment. I personally do it because I care about keeping our traditions alive."
Then this year, the gift of sharing this journey with her family. Her daughter Valeria is serving as prioress for the third year: "I didn't want Sant'Antonio to be left alone, and since no one was coming forward, in 2023 I decided to do it myself. At the time, I lived in the house behind the church; the window overlooks the courtyard." Valeria's eyes light up when she talks about Sant'Antonio. She continues her story: "The first year, I did it out of a promise, then I continued. This year, I was especially keen, given the coincidence. Lara, besides being my niece, is also my goddaughter. I tell my children that I am the guardian of Sant'Antonio and of the church named after him."
The prioress's job is to keep the church tidy: from cleaning to arranging flowers to arranging the tablecloths. And there are those who help the prioress with this task. "My sister Marzia, when my mother was prioress, took care of some embroidery. For us, Sant'Antonio is a family affair. An aunt was also a prioress, and we grew up in this neighborhood."
A joy also for his granddaughter Lara: "Saint Anthony's Day is one of my favorite holidays, I've felt it very close to me since I was a child. It's keeping tradition alive, and for me this year it also marks my coming of age; it's a symbolic ritual that lets you know you're becoming an adult. This year, I'm also very emotional because I'm very close to my family."
Lara only discovered last January 17th, during the prioress's (her aunt and godmother) lunch what would happen: her grandfather, aunt, and herself united by the same destiny. Now, work is underway to ensure everything runs smoothly. "We'll also hold a 'sa ditta' , the auction of gifts to the Saint. The proceeds, as always, will be used for church projects. There are also some benefactors," concludes Antonio Palmas. And now they await the great day of the bonfires. In Abbasanta, three tuve will be burned: the Antonios', the eighteen-year-olds', and the railway workers'.
