Photo: Helena DeBragança
It’s important to show gratitude to our animals for the love and companionship they bring, and this weekend is your chance to do just that!
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Corral your furry pals and head over to The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue (112th St) for their annual Feast of St. Francis Day Service and Blessing of the Animals. The event will be held on Sunday, October 6, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, ecology, and the environment.
This will be no ordinary church service. All Upper West Siders are invited to attend this decades-old celebration not just with their families, but with their pets too!
Photo: Helena DeBragança
The day will begin with a joyful worship service featuring the Procession of the Animals, where pets from dogs and cats to baby goats, cows, and ponies will be warmly welcomed. The service will feature music from Paul Winter’s Missa Gaia and a dance performance by the Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, emphasizing the beauty of the animal kingdom and the natural world.
Photo: Helena DeBragança
Photo: Helena DeBragança
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Right after the church service, the St. Francis Day Fair will commence come rain or shine. Cathedral and Diocesan clergy will be gathered ready to bless your beloved animals, so stick around with your furry best friends to say hello. Exciting activities at the fair include pet portrait photography, an ASPCA adoption van offering pets a chance to find their forever homes, environmental and wildlife information booths, and many more family-friendly activities!
The Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is an Episcopal church the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, and one of the six largest church buildings in the world when measured by length or internal volume! It’s over 125 years old, founded in 1892 when the trustees of the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine conceived its mission to be a house of prayer for all people.
For those unable to attend the St Francis Day festivities in person, the worship service will be livestreamed and the video will be available on the Cathedral’s YouTube channel. Find out more about this event on the church’s website here.
