St. Francis and the Blessing of the Animals

Every October 4, pets line up to be blessed in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. At NYC's Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the celebration includes a full animal procession, live music, and open-air blessings, streamed worldwide. Washington National Cathedral hosts its own furry service too.  Around the world, other feast days bring their own flavor -- join me in investigating some of the most interesting. The Feast of St. Francis (St. John the Divine, accessed October 2, 2025) Blessing of the Animals held at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine (YouTube / CBS New York, Oct 6, 2024) Italy's far-right government revives holiday for saint at 'core of our nation's identity' (Angela Giuffrida, The Guardian, Sep 24, 2025) Lucia — bearer of light, hymns and Swedish treats (Visit Sweden, Jan 14, 2025) Bulgarians celebrate Epiphany with traditional rituals (AP, Jan 6, 2023) 'Devils' take to the streets as a Spanish village celebrates the Endiablada festival (AP, Feb 2, 2025) Instagram: @condensedsouppodcast [email protected] *This episode was recorded in my bedroom.