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28 Adorable Photos Of Animals Getting Blessed At Cathedral Of Saint John The Divine
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 8, 2012
Modified Oct 8, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 8, 2012
Modified Oct 8, 2012
Share
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This weekend was the annual Blessing of the Animals at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine in Morningside Heights, and photographer Katie Sokoler was there to capture all the noble beasts on camera. The blessings are part of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, famous for his advocacy for harmony between human beings and the natural world. Earlier in the week, shelter animals were blessed at the magnificent cathedral, and yesterday, despite the drizzle, pet owners gathered at the church to collect their blessings. Inside, more exotic animals—including a camel, llama, donkey, mini horse, pig, kangaroo, and fennec fox—were paraded down the aisle of the church.
Last year the kangaroo was carried down the aisle by Sopranos star Edie Falco, who was noticeably absent this year. It's no surprise that this year the kangaroo "freaked out," according to Sokoler, who tells us "he did not want to be held and started kicking." If HBO has taught us anything, it's that only Carmela can soothe the bouncy beast. Check out our photos from last year, and then feast your eyes on Sokoler's stunning photos of the Cathedral's peacocks.
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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.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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