Pets receive blessing in Malate Church for Feast of St. Francis

More than a hundred animal lovers took their pets to the Malate Church in Manila on Sunday for the annual blessing of animals.

The blessing was held on the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, which coincides with World Animal Day.

The yearly ritual allows Catholic devotees to hear mass along with their pets.

Many different varieties of pets—from dogs and cats to snakes and tarantulas—were brought along by their owners to be blessed with Holy Water administered by Father John Leydon, priest of Malate church.

“Pope Francis in his recent encyclical said that all creatures are sacred and I think it is a reminder to us that not just the humans are important but we live in a world where everything is important, everything is sacred,” Father Leydon said.

Hazel Lesler, a cat owner, said, “It’s the feast of St. Francis so I felt he (the cat) should be with the other animals all to be blessed.”