Angeli et amici: In festo S. Antonii Abbatis

(St Anthony Abbot from the Isenheim Altar of Matthias Grünewald)

Named after a colonial companion of Ponce de Leon and one of the original settlers of that territory, Añasco is a municipality of Puerto Rico located on the west coast of the island bordering the Mona Passage, with Mayagüez to the north, Rincón, Aguada, and Moca to the south and west of San Sebastián. The parish church is named in honor of, and therefore the town is under the celestial patronage of, the patriarch of monasticism Saint Anthony the Abbot.
Deep in the thick hilly jungle of that selfsame municipality lived a certain man christened in honor of the holy patron saint. Many would be loath to traverse the verdantly overgrown paths that led to his ancient abode because of the dastardly and dangerous terrain. But there was another reason. There were strange stories told in hushed whispers. The denizen of the hilltop was not only an elderly eccentric (and that would be putting it mildly, said a teasing tongue) but perhaps even deliriously disturbed. He lived all alone allowing absolutely no modern conveniences whatsoever. One day though, now many years in the past, a cute little altar boy and his uncle defiantly made the perilous trek in that tropical menagerie with the goal of actually seeing the flesh and blood behind the local legend. The intrepid duo arrived at the little ramshackle hut which seemed better placed in the tremendous triptych of Hieronymus Bosch. Hearing the rustling of the branches and the agitation of the animals, a man with skin like tanned leather and large penetrating eyes carefully came out of his humble habitation and warily approached the boldly encroaching pair. Then little boy’s eyes opened round. His mouth gaped wide. The little boy began to run. The little boy ran to the old man and yelled out “Gran’pa!”

Mr. Screwtape

(The Temptation of St. Anthony by Hieronymus Bosch)