😇 The annual Blessing of the Animals takes place in early October, the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi. The feast day entails people bringing their beloved pets to church to be blessed by the clergy. ⛪️ NYC's most famed spectacle of observation takes place in the UWS at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine and feature domestic and exotic animals alike: cats, dogs, donkeys, ostriches, and beyond. 🐕While we're not religious people, me and Max need all the good energy we can get so we opted for a smaller observation (but also, we don't get up before noon on Sundays) at Saint Barktholomew's in Midtown East. The service is shorter and takes place in the smaller alcove to the right of the main cathedral. We found it to be more calm (especially for our slightly more anxious furry friends) than the chaos to be expected at Saint John the Divine. 👼 An abbreviated service includes some songs and a reading and concludes in the blessing of the animals where the clergy bless the pets by name and sprinkle them with holy water. People are also welcome to bring photos of their pets to be blessed. 🦴 Max almost seemed calmed by the singing but was more excited about taking the Eucharist (a milk bone treat). It's a quirky ritual to experience but at the same time a great opportunity admire the Romanesque architecture of the historic space.