Wagging tails fill a Philippine church where priests bless pets for St. Francis feast

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — It’s a day for wagging tails, happy faces and a special annual blessing at a church in the Philippine capital.

Every Oct. 4, Catholics mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology, remembered for his humility, compassion and deep love for all living things. Many parishes choose the first Sunday of October to hold community animal blessings or St. Francis service events.

At Malate Church in Manila, parishioners marked the feast by bringing their beloved pets for a special blessing — mostly dogs but also cats and even a pet snail.

“We are blessing the animals and plants and this is so much in relation to the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi … so the Malate parish has been advocating this one,” said Father Leonito Distor, parish priest of the church.

Parishioners formed a line as they walked up the aisle with their pets, waiting patiently for a priest to sprinkle their companions with holy water.

For pet owners, it was a simple expression of gratitude for the unconditional love, joy and companionship these animal friends bring into their lives every day while honoring St. Francis’ call to respect and care for all of God’s creation.

“They are part of our family … Not exactly like us in the sense that they can’t speak, but they do have emotions,” said 32-year-old nurse Gaudine Supnet, who owns four Shih Tzu dogs. “I want them to feel, in some way, that we are grateful for their presence in our lives; that’s why we have them blessed.”

The church also organized free pet vaccinations for dogs and cats in the church parking lot.

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Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report.