On October 4, the students and faculty of Christ the King School in Burlington brought their pets and service animals for the school’s second annual Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, led by Fr. Justin Baker.

 

Starting in the fourth century, the blessing of animals within the Church was celebrated on the Feast of Saint Blaise, February 3; however, owing to Saint Francis’ great love of animals (and indeed all of nature), the traditional date for blessing animals was moved to his feast day shortly after his canonization in 1228. Some nineteen animals were blessed by Fr. Baker, from dogs and rabbits to the school’s own tarantula.