Calling all Boston area pet owners! On Sunday, Oct. 3, Old North Church at 193 Salem St. at Bigelow Courtyard and St Francis Garden will hold its annual Blessing of the Animals. The North End celebration draws people of diverse faiths and backgrounds and is an opportunity to find joy and honor our faithful companions who for so many have been a tremendous source of comfort at home during the ongoing pandemic.
This year’s event, in partnership with RUFF, the North End Dog Group, will include a ceremony led by Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, Old North’s new Vicar-in-Charge, and assisted by Rev. Amy Whitcomb Slemmer. All animals, photographs of pets that do not travel, as well as children’s stuffed animals are welcome. Each animal will receive a special blessing. Pets must be on leash or in appropriate carriers. For the safety of all, attendees must refrain from petting others’ animals. While masks are not required outdoors, some may prefer to wear them. Participants are encouraged to maintain distance between households to ensure the health of all.
Old North’s resident canines Griffin, a 120lb Great Pyrenees/Lab mix, and Motley, a 45lb Rhodesian Ridgeback/Dachshund, owned by Old North Church Sexton Tim Wenrich, will be onsite to receive their blessings. Rev. Dr. Matthew Cadwell, Vicar-in-Charge at Old North Church, is available for interviews and can speak to the significance of St. Francis to Old North Church and the North End community, as well as Old North’s community engagement activities.
The blessing will be held on Sunday, Oct. 3, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
The Blessing of Animals is held in honor of St. Francis, who lived in Italy from 1181 to 1226 and is revered for his love of nature. Born into wealth and privilege, he preferred a life of poverty and simplicity. He founded the Franciscan religious order embracing the same values. Canonized as a saint in 1228, St. Francis is honored across Christian denominations and beyond.