FAST FACTS:
There was a special blessing and a carrot for Charlie, the horse. His owner, Cain Carson, brought him and few of his other pets to All Saints Episcopal Church for a special blessing.
"We bought Max our Dog, We bought Charlie, the horse. We bought Ms. Kitty, our new little kitten," said Carson.
One by one the priest at Catholic and Episcopal churches all over the Mid-South layed hands on each pet brought before them. Today marked the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the saint who loved all of God's creation.
The priest at All Saints blessed plenty of dogs and cats, a turtle, hamster, rabbit and duck and along with a horse. They came in cages and on leashes and she blessed them all in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
"They come to receive a blessing and I believe as Francis would have said in giving our Blessing, we are Blessed," said Bindy Snyder, Rector at All Saints Episcopal Church.
Some parishioners had special prayer requests. Jackson Emery bought Joe-Joe, the hamster.
"I like him a lot and my other one ran out of the house," said Emery.
When the child was asked what kind of blessing he hoped for the new hamster, he knew right away what he wanted.
He said, "That he won't run out of the house."
One woman wanted a special prayer for her dog that passed away. The priest prayed over his ashes.
"They are our family, more for some than others. But for some people they are their entire family," said Priest Snyder.
Those who bought animals say this is a chance to glorify and give thanks for all those who roam the earth.
"Pets are wonderful and I love coming and having them Blessed. I think its us getting blessed more than the animals because God's already blessed the animals," said Carson.
A survey by a pet product manufacturer shows the number of pets in U.S. households now out number children.
- Pets parade into churches all over Mid-South
- Today marks the feast of St. Francis of Assisi
- New survey says pets now out number children in households
There was a special blessing and a carrot for Charlie, the horse. His owner, Cain Carson, brought him and few of his other pets to All Saints Episcopal Church for a special blessing.
"We bought Max our Dog, We bought Charlie, the horse. We bought Ms. Kitty, our new little kitten," said Carson.
One by one the priest at Catholic and Episcopal churches all over the Mid-South layed hands on each pet brought before them. Today marked the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the saint who loved all of God's creation.
The priest at All Saints blessed plenty of dogs and cats, a turtle, hamster, rabbit and duck and along with a horse. They came in cages and on leashes and she blessed them all in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
"They come to receive a blessing and I believe as Francis would have said in giving our Blessing, we are Blessed," said Bindy Snyder, Rector at All Saints Episcopal Church.
Some parishioners had special prayer requests. Jackson Emery bought Joe-Joe, the hamster.
"I like him a lot and my other one ran out of the house," said Emery.
When the child was asked what kind of blessing he hoped for the new hamster, he knew right away what he wanted.
He said, "That he won't run out of the house."
One woman wanted a special prayer for her dog that passed away. The priest prayed over his ashes.
"They are our family, more for some than others. But for some people they are their entire family," said Priest Snyder.
Those who bought animals say this is a chance to glorify and give thanks for all those who roam the earth.
"Pets are wonderful and I love coming and having them Blessed. I think its us getting blessed more than the animals because God's already blessed the animals," said Carson.
A survey by a pet product manufacturer shows the number of pets in U.S. households now out number children.
