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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 19, 2007 23:43:53 GMT -4
This is in Spain.  Priests Bless Pets During the Feast of San Anton in Spain Wednesday, January 17, 2007 Every dog has his day, and during the feast of San Anton in Spain, thousands of furry friends get their moment in the sun. Many Catholic churches in Spain honor San Anton (St. Antonio Abad), the patron saint of animals, with a feast on Jan. 17. During the celebration, people flock to churches so their animals can receive a special blessing. Attendees bring everything from house pets to work or farm animals so priests can perform a special prayer on them using holy water. The feast celebrations often are marked by their use of demon figures and bonfires. Madrid is a famous headquarters for Spain's tradition, although other regions throughout the country also take part. Mexico holds a similar celebration known as the San Antonio Abad Fiestas. San Anton was known for having animals instinctively surround him during his lifetime, which led to the tradition of the blessings. Many believe the the priest's prayer ensures a long and healthy life for their animals. The Link |
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Post by Andrea on Jan 20, 2007 0:11:34 GMT -4
Very cool, i love that picture, what a silly doggy! Also, I thought St. Francis of Assisi was the patron saint of animals  I am Catholic and as a child I picked St. Francis as my saint, as he talked with the animals among other things, He was a cool dude LOL |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 20, 2007 1:07:58 GMT -4
St Francis IS the patron saint of animals.
Saint Antonio is the patron saint of domestic animals.
So I guess he is sort of a notch below Francis, but isn't everyone?!
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Post by Hamsters82 on Jan 20, 2007 1:13:29 GMT -4
I have heard about animals being blessed, but I didn't know they did it all over. Our church does that, I'll have to find out when it is so I can bring Chewie on over.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 20, 2007 1:19:59 GMT -4
I was told by Mary, the lady who owned the lab and got killed by the SUV, that even our local Chruch a block away blesses the animals.
Do a Search for "Blessing of the animals" and a ton of stuff will come up. It is best known in NYC for the blessing at huge Riverside Church.
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Post by Hamsters82 on Jan 20, 2007 1:30:17 GMT -4
I doubt our church would come up on the internet. I could always look in the bullentin they give every Sunday for it.  Did you ever want to get your animals blessed? |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 20, 2007 1:40:04 GMT -4
Got any visiting priests? They are certainly not leaving here - too many.
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Post by hamwolf89 on Jan 20, 2007 13:00:04 GMT -4
there are non here, well i not 100% sure as i never go to church
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Post by adoptaratcanada on Jan 21, 2007 0:17:35 GMT -4
LOL!!
There was a very good documentary about him on tv recently, maybe one of the PBS stations. What a groovy dude!
Not being Catholic, my first knowledge of St. Francis was back in the olden days..."Brother Sun, Sister Moon". Can't remember much of it now.
I first heard about the Blessing of the Animals about 10 years ago, while vacationing in CA.
I have a St. Francis statuette, about a foot n a half tall, that is meant to be a garden ornament. He was out on the deck for a while, but now lives in the dining room come music room.
linda
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 21, 2007 0:56:02 GMT -4
LOL!! There was a very good documentary about him on tv recently, maybe one of the PBS stations. What a groovy dude! Not being Catholic, my first knowledge of St. Francis was back in the olden days..."Brother Sun, Sister Moon". Can't remember much of it now. I first heard about the Blessing of the Animals about 10 years ago, while vacationing in CA. I have a St. Francis statuette, about a foot n a half tall, that is meant to be a garden ornament. He was out on the deck for a while, but now lives in the dining room come music room. linda Franco Zeffirelli's Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1972), conceived and executed in much the same visual manner as his Oscar winning Romeo and Juliet (1968), attempts to draw parallels between the work and philosophy of Francis of Assisi and the ideology that underpinned the worldwide hippie movement throughout the 1960s and early '70s From a local church, St Anselm's:  |
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Post by pinky on Jan 21, 2007 1:19:06 GMT -4
I was going to say the same thing! I have St. Francis on my living room wall. . . . a friend went to Italy and brought me back a picture in relief of Francis feeding birds in a tree (birds being my thing). The picture itself is only 3" x 2.5"--so it's not like I have a shrine in my living room or anything! |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on Jan 21, 2007 17:30:04 GMT -4
>> it's not like I have a shrine in my living room or anything! << Go ahead. have a shrine if you want! Fine with us.  |
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I am Catholic and as a child I picked St. Francis as my saint, as he talked with the animals among other things, He was a cool dude LOL
