St Francis

Priests at Malate Church in Manila, Philippines, have blessed dogs and other pets in an annual ceremony marking the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Owners brought their animals to the church grounds for the traditional blessing, which has drawn wide coverage from international outlets. The event highlights a popular Catholic tradition blending faith and affection for animals.

Catholics around the world are marking the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, held each year on 4 October. The day honours the 13th-century friar known for his devotion to poverty, humility and care for animals and nature. Many parishes hold blessings of pets, and the date is also linked to prayers for peace and environmental protection.

Assisi is commemorating 800 years since the death of St. Francis, with thousands of pilgrims gathering at the Porziuncola for the Transitus ceremony marking his passing. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi and Italian President Sergio Mattarella attended the Feast Day Mass on October 4, a highlight of the jubilee year in the Umbrian town.

Pet owners brought dogs, cats and other animals to a church in the Philippines, where priests performed blessings to mark the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Catholic patron saint of animals. Wagging tails and jingling collars filled the pews as the annual tradition drew families seeking blessings for their pets, a warm image of faith blending with everyday devotion that has been picked up by international outlets.

Boston's historic Old North Church hosted its annual Blessing of the Animals, a tradition honoring St. Francis of Assisi in which pets and their owners gather for blessings. The event continues a long-running custom at the landmark church, drawing community members with dogs, cats and other animals to the North End for the ceremony.

A new oratorio drawing on the messages of St. Francis of Assisi has made its debut, according to National Catholic Reporter. The work presents the saint's teachings through music, and coverage also appears in Global Sisters Report. Details about the composers, performers and venue of the premiere were not provided.

Old North Church in Boston held its blessing of the animals on Sunday. The traditional service, often held around the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, invites pet owners to bring their animals to church for a blessing. The event drew attention as one of the city's best-known historic churches continued its long-running community tradition.

A church in Marion held its annual blessing of pets, an event where animals are brought by their owners to receive a blessing. The ceremony is part of a tradition honoring St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, typically held around his feast day in early October. Local coverage highlighted the congregation gathering with dogs, cats and other pets for the service.

Vatican News is highlighting St. Francis of Assisi as the saint of the day, presenting information on the 13th-century founder of the Franciscan Order and patron saint of Italy. The feature recalls his life of poverty, preaching and care for the poor, and his enduring role in Italian Catholic identity.

A New York City church has held its annual blessing of the animals, a tradition in which pets are brought to be blessed, often around the feast day of St Francis of Assisi. Congregants typically bring dogs, cats and other animals to the service. The event draws attention each year for its warm scenes of animals inside a house of worship.

Italy celebrates the Feast of St Francis of Assisi on 4 October, a date that returned to the national holiday calendar in 2025 after nearly half a century. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni delivered a speech marking the re-introduction of the feast, which honours the patron saint of Italy and animals. The reinstatement of the date is drawing wide attention across the country.

St. Mary's Church has held its fifth annual Blessing of the Pets, a ceremony in which parishioners bring their animals to receive a blessing. The event, covered by local news, continues a growing tradition among congregations that ties faith to the bond between people and their pets.

A colourful shell found on the coast of South Africa, reportedly from either St Francis Bay or False Bay, is drawing attention from nature and photography enthusiasts. The image, shared with tags for shells, photography and the ocean, highlights the variety of marine life washed up along the country's shores.

Churches are holding blessing of the animals ceremonies to mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. Photo galleries from services show pets brought by their owners to receive blessings, a tradition observed around the feast day in early October by congregations across many denominations.

Episcopal churches are holding blessings of animals to mark the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the 13th-century saint known for his love of animals and nature. The annual tradition sees pet owners bring dogs, cats and other animals to church services to receive blessings, and it continues to draw attention each October.

October 4 is the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the Catholic saint best known as the patron of animals and the environment. Many communities mark the day with blessings of pets and animals, and it is often linked to reflections on care for creation. The date draws attention each year among Christians and environmental advocates alike.

Historic Old North Church in Boston held its annual blessing of the animals on Sunday, welcoming pets and their owners for the traditional ceremony. The event, a custom honoring St. Francis of Assisi's feast day tradition, draws local families with their dogs, cats and other animals to the landmark church.

A church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania held its annual blessing of pets, a traditional service honouring animals and the companionship they offer their owners. Attendees brought their pets to receive blessings, with the event framed as a celebration of the bond between people and animals. Such blessings are commonly held around the feast of St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals.

Trinity Church in Menlo Park held a blessing ceremony putting pets at the center of the service, with animals receiving blessings from clergy. The event, covered by local outlet InMenlo, reflects the traditional blessing of animals often held around the feast of St Francis of Assisi, drawing pet owners from the community to bring their dogs, cats and other companions to church.

St. Luke's Episcopal Church held its Blessing of the Animals service, with a photo gallery published by 27east showing pets and their owners gathering at the church. The event, a tradition often held around the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, sees clergy bless animals brought by members of the community.

Boston's historic Old North Church held its annual Blessing of the Animals, welcoming dogs and other pets for a traditional ceremony honoring St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Owners brought their companions to receive blessings in a beloved neighborhood ritual that draws families and animal lovers to the North End church each year.

A church in Madison, Mississippi, held a multicultural festival honoring St. Francis, bringing together members of its congregation and the wider community for a celebration of food, music, and tradition. Local coverage from WJTV highlighted the event as a showcase of the parish's cultural diversity and shared faith, drawing families together for the feast day observance.

A pastor at Mosaic Church in Little Rock has released a new book examining the history and message of the Prayer of St. Francis, the well-known devotional text often attributed to the medieval saint. The book traces the prayer's origins and explores what its call to be an instrument of peace means for readers today. Coverage in Arkansas outlets is drawing attention to the pastor's reflections on a prayer whose authorship historians have long debated.

Churches in the Richmond, Virginia area held blessings for pets, with dogs, cats, horses and other animals brought by their owners to receive a blessing. The events, often tied to the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, drew local attention as families brought a wide variety of animals to their congregations.

A beachcomber says they found an empty seashell on the South African coast but cannot remember whether it was in St Francis Bay or False Bay. They joked about it with a tongue-twister-style line, 'She sells empty sea shells, lost in the ocean', riffing on the classic nursery rhyme and a play on Sia's song title.

Pet owners across the Philippines are having their animals blessed in ceremonies marking the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. The tradition, common in Catholic communities, draws dogs, cats and other pets to churches where priests sprinkle them with holy water.

Seattle has held an animal blessing, a ceremony in which pets and other animals are blessed, often in a religious setting. Such events typically draw pet owners with dogs, cats and other animals, and are commonly held around the feast of St. Francis of Assisi. Beyond the event taking place, further details about this year's gathering were not immediately available.