{"id":255,"date":"2019-11-03T02:02:04","date_gmt":"2019-11-02T21:02:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/olly.page\/?p=255"},"modified":"2020-04-12T00:50:08","modified_gmt":"2020-04-11T19:50:08","slug":"blessing-animals-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olly.mashtub.com\/?p=255","title":{"rendered":"Blessing of the Animals: Love to All Creatures"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barking and laughter echoed around the corner of Amsterdam Avenue as children and animals frolicked in -the Cathedral of St. John the Divine garden.\u00a0<\/span>Every year on the first weekend of October, the Cathedral organizes the Blessing of the Animals<\/a>, an annual celebration of the relationship between the animals and their owners. People with or without pets were welcome to join in the fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThese events strengthen our community,\u201d said Iva Benson, spokesperson for the Cathedral. \u201cPeople just gather and share their love for animals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The celebration is part of the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, who loved all creatures and taught his flock that men and animals are brothers and should love each other. The traditional Festal Eucharist and the Blessing of the Animals on the Pulpit Green are part of this celebration even which the Cathedral has hosted for over 30 years.<\/span><\/p>\n