Blessing of the Animals Service on Sunday

Dogs, cats—and maybe other animals—will join ministers and the Durham Children's Choir for the Blessing of the Animals worship service this Sunday, October 6, at 3:00 p.m. on the Duke Chapel Quad. Pet owners are welcome to bring their animals to receive a blessing as part of the service. The service will last about thirty minutes and includes music from the choir, scripture readings, and a sermon. Individual animal blessings will take place immediately after the service.

Those bringing pets are responsible for their animals and are asked to bring only pets that will be safe around children and other animals.

The Blessing of the Animals service is inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, a thirteenth-century Italian Catholic friar who lived a life of voluntary poverty and is known for his love of animals. He believed the natural world could give glory to God, writing in his song Canticle of the Sun, "Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures."