This just in from Lee Lowry, director of communications at St. John's Episcopal Parish Day School:

On Thursday, October 4, St. John’s School held its annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. 

The blessing took place in the Church’s Garth (courtyard) immediately following school dismissal at 3:15 p.m. 

Pets and their owners joined Father Chip Connelly and Mother Stefanie Taylor for a pat, a prayer, and a treat.  St. John’s clergy blessed animals from the typical (dogs and cats) to the exotic (rats and hermit crabs). 

The tradition of blessing animals on Francis’s feast day is said to be a way to honor his love of animals.  A tale is told of the people of the town of Gubbio alerting Francis to the presence of a ferocious wolf in their countryside.  All efforts to trap the wolf or drive him away had failed, so they called upon the Saint to intervene. 

He went out with only the message of the Gospel, met the wolf, and called him to repentance for the chaos and harm that he had caused.  The wolf and the townspeople agreed to live in peace; the wolf would cease his attacks and the townspeople would feed the wolf for the rest of his life.

Check out a few photos from the pet blessing.

Have you ever had your pet blessed? Tell us in the comments.