Pets flood NYC church for annual ‘blessing’ event honoring spate of animals – including dogs, turtles, parakeets and owls
A man holds a small calf during the Blessing of the Animals service. Heather Khalifa for the NY Post
Hundreds of New Yorkers brought their furry, feathered, and scaled companions to St. John the Divine in Manhattan on Sunday for the Episcopal church’s annual Blessing of the Animals. The decades-old tradition honors the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment and ecology, and kicked off with a whimsical Procession of the Animals, featuring a camel, horse, cow, snake, birds, and a mini-pony, before clergy blessed pets on the cathedral lawn.
“I think people get so excited that their pets are welcome in this space and that they’re blessed,” said cathedral programming executive director Laura Bosley. “Sometimes people can’t bring pets who are ill or have passed away, so they bring photographs and our clergy will bless that memory.”
Over the years, the event has welcomed a tarantula, butterflies, a sloth, and even a chicken named Lady Gaga. This year’s blessings included a turtle, rabbit, guinea pig, and a variety of cats and dogs.
“Pets are a lot of people’s children,” Bosley added. “To have us be so open and respectful of that really resonates with people.”
The procession of exotic and barnyard animals, which included the cathedral debut of a baby Zebu, was smaller this year following complaints from animal advocates. All remaining animals were provided by the agency All Tame Animals and have proper permits, Bosley said.
“Exploiting animals for entertainment sends the wrong message about responsible guardianship,” said John Di Leonardo of Humane Long Island, who is urging the church to stop hiring animals for entertainment.
Bosley countered, “We try to use animals that are comfortable in large spaces and around crowds. The day is about celebrating all God’s creatures, and we’ve been mindful of advocates’ concerns.”
The event drew long lines outside the 110th Street cathedral, with attendees waiting hours for their pets’ blessings.
Sisters Julissa and Jumirna Alcober brought their parakeets, Rio and Lemon, to ensure continued good health. “Rio was sick a couple of months ago,” Julissa, 31, said. “He’s much better now, so we wanted him blessed.”
“Our last bird spent 16 years with us,” Jumirna, 29, added. “We wanted to honor his legacy too.”
East Harlem resident Dawn Wells brought her 20-month-old beagle, Chloe, describing the blessing as a “cultural experience.” “It’s a cultural institution,” said Wells, 45, reflecting on her time at nearby Columbia University and her long-standing interest in the tradition.
Harlem resident Mei W., attending for the third year, brought her 11-month-old Aussie Shepherd, Lola Fern, whom she described as mischievous. “She tears up all my slippers and flip-flops,” Mei, 65, said.
“The Episcopalian priests are lovely — and they say their names intentionally. I feel like they’re really being blessed,” she added.
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