Blessing Of The Animals At St. John Church

Hank, the South African Mastiff, required extra holy water to bless is 162-pound frame.

These sisters made sure their family hopped to the annual Blessing of Animals with their long-eared pets.

The Vasquez family held their furry friend tight to receive the Rev. Jeremy Smith’s blessing.

This Ravens fan and her puppy received the blessing and then hurried home to catch the end of the Ravens game, in which the hometown team defeated the Browns 28-3.

The Rev. Jeremy Smith sprinkled the animals with holy water during the annual Blessing of Animals to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, which is celebrated October 4.

Posted Friday, October 6, 2023 2:09 pm

Photos by Judy Tacyn

To celebrate the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church held the annual Blessing of the Animals on October 1. Dozens of parishioners brought their dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, and reptiles to the St. Francis Prayer Garden to receive a sprinkling of holy water and a special blessing. The Rev. Jeremy Smith read over the animals, “Oh, God … reach out with your right hand and grant that these animals may serve our needs and that your bounty in the resources of this life may move us to see more confidently the goal of eternal life.”