Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Photos: Blessing Of Animals At Saint John The Divine, Starring Edie Falco
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 3, 2011
Modified Oct 3, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Gothamist
View all 27
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 3, 2011
Modified Oct 3, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Hope you're ready to O.D. on cuteness, because Katie Sokoler's photographs of yesterday's blessing of the animals are almost unbearably adorable. Hundreds of pet owners brought their pride and joys to the 27th Annual Feast of St. Francis of Assisi at the Cathedral on Sunday, where they lined up to receive a special blessing from the priest. And holy smokes were these creatures CUTE!
Sokoler tells us, "People were allowed to bring their pets into the church for mass. It was sort of awkward because all the dogs were barking and going crazy when the choir would start singing. Some kids brought stuffed animals. Then a bunch of crazy animals were walked down the aisle (the kangaroo is my favorite!)... After the mass, everyone brought their pets onto the lawn to have them blessed. I saw a whole lot of cats! My favorite is the little boy who brought his fish."
Animals on parade up the aisle to the altar included a camel, yak, pig, fox, rooster and the aforementioned kangaroo, which was carried by none other than actor Edie Falco. And in case you're curious what the church is turned into a petting zoo every year, the blessing celebrates the life of St. Francis of Assisi, who the church says "exemplified harmony between humans and nature."
Tagged
blessing of the animals
church
saint john the divine
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .