Blessing of the Animals: What Happened to the Alpacas, Llamas and Camels?

There was something different about this year’s Blessing of the Animals, which takes place annually on or near October 4 for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. While the packed Cathedral of St. John the Divine held plenty of barking dogs on this rainy Sunday morning, it lacked the usual guest list of exotic animals.

Gone were the alpacas, the llamas, the camels, horses, boas and birds of prey - to name a few - that are usually marched down the center aisle during the annual Procession of the Animals.

Many humans in the standing-room-only crowd wondered why. Some even offered theories. ”It’s funny,” said one Upper West Sider, there to procure a blessing for his two-year-old Goldendoodle, “A friend at the dog run this morning, whose daughters sang in the chorus here today, told me something along the lines of ‘Yeah, last year a horse pooped on the nave, and then a camel spit on people.’”

This reporter was present last year and can confirm the camel was in fact none too happy to be in the crowded cathedral. And it is true that animal rights activists expressed concern about barnyard animals being used as entertainment.

“Everybody has an opinion about everything, and we hear all of them,” Laura Bosley, the Cathedral’s executive director of programming told The Spirit. “There are people who only come here for the exotic animals and are disappointed. We simply can’t please everybody.”

So the Cathedral announced on its website that “While the formal procession of animals will no longer be part of the service, all pets and their human companions are warmly welcome inside the Cathedral for this historic celebration of creation.”

This year marked the 800th anniversary of the passing of St. Francis of Assisi, a wealthy young man who gave up his earthly possessions to pursue his mission of helping the poor. While he is universally revered as the patron saint of animals, this year the Cathedral expanded that vision to focus on his profound care for the environment.

This shift was visually brought to life by Luke Jerram’s monumental “Gaia” installation. (In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of our planet, often referred to as “Mother Earth.”) The massive, glowing replica of Earth hangs directly inside the nave. Its purpose: to remind worshipers of our shared duty to protect the planet.”

So it’s really all part of the same story of St. Francis,” Bosley explained. “This year we decided to shine the spotlight on his commitment to the Earth, and how part of his mission is to engage others to understand that it’s a great gift we’ve been given and we all need to take part in caring for it.”

This call to action, she added, is especially urgent today, as frequent weather disasters make the world seem increasingly out of control. The program ran about 90 minutes and included an assortment of prayers, readings, hymns, and spectacular dance performances from Forces of Nature Dance Theater. The Very Reverend Winnie Varghese, Dean of the Cathedral, gave a sermon that focused on St. Francis and his mission to protect the Earth.

Most of the animals in the audience sat quietly, though a few barked (one even shrieked) loudly, and two playful Frenchies wrestled nonstop in the aisle. Later, Varghese, along with The Right Reverend Matthew F. Heyd, gave communion. Hundreds of parishioners, many with pets in hand (or on leash), stood in line to receive the body and blood of Christ.

After the service, it was time for the blessings, held indoors in three different chapels. (Last year, pet owners had to wait up to an hour and a half in the blazing sun to receive their pets’ blessings outside.) For the most part, the recipients were good boys and girls, standing politely while Varghese, Heyd, and and The Reverend Deacon Kenton J. Curtis bestowed upon them blessings along these lines:

”(Name of animal), may God bless you, in the name of God who has created you, may you be blessed every day of your life. Amen.” Or, “(Name of animal), I offer God’s blessing on you, to be with you, to walk with you, surround you with love, surround you all the days of your life, may God give you the love you deserve, and the joy, and also lots of treats. Amen.”

Michael Abea-Ruiz and his husband, Leo, have been coming to this event for seven years. They looked forward to getting blessings for their three Dachshunds: Mick Jagger, Sammy Shadows and River Phoenix.

Michael said he was surprised about the absence of the exotic animals, “because normally we come for the procession, we come early, (and) they didn’t have it this year, I’m not quite sure the reasons, but nonetheless, it’s still the Feast of St. Francis, and pets still get blessed.” So, they said, it was worth the schlep from Midtown East.

Upper West Sider Mariana Santibañez brought her Rottweiler-Lab mix, Bruce, and Mila, “a spicy Shih Tzu.”

“Mila is suffering from osteoarthritis and she’s been needing constant care, and Bruce has gone through some health issues, so I just wanted to bring them to get blessings, and hopefully things will get better health-wise for both of them.” Santibañez said the priests wished her dogs lots of treats, naps and sunshine.

Erin McConnell lives around the corner from the Cathedral. She was with her seven-year-old pit bull-chow-boxer mix, Pepper. Though she was raised Catholic, and this is an Episcopalian church, she wanted to come because St. Francis is very near and dear to her. ”The thought of St. Francis blessing the Earth, and the fact that there’s this huge globe in the middle and just like a reminder of, I think, what the power of religion can be, whatever that means for people and its connection to the Earth, its people and its animals. And that makes me emotional, especially Pepper’s role in that.”

That explains all the dogs. But what about the exotic animals? Is it over for them? Will they ever be back? Said Bosley, “You know, that is really up to our Dean (Varghese). This is one of our most important liturgies, and the vision for that liturgy really starts with the Dean.”