The Blessing of Ida

This Sunday was eventful for Ida--- it was her "christening"!!! Although we opted out of the traditional white dress and went for the blue bandanna... Ida was blessed at St. John the Divine during the yearly Blessing of the Animals! here is a little history on the day: The Blessing of the Animals originated in the 13th century in remembrance of St. Francis who believed all animals should be treated with dignity and respect. This blessing is a way of praising God for all of His creation. Pets are blessings from God and family members. The pets benefit from an outing with their family and they benefit from receiving the blessing. This strengthens the special bond that already exists between the animal and their family. Here are a few of the events Ida and I witnessed during our outing: animals included hawks, a camel, a huge turtle, a monkey, llamas, a sheep, a reindeer, a pig, rabbits, chickens, birds, cats, dogs, etc. etc. For more (better) pictures, please visit this article in the Columbia Spectator: http://www.columbiaspectator.com/node/56068
Yes, this is a cat... in a jacket.

Ida waiting in line with her new friend:
Here is the parade:

Tons of people brought their pets to be blessed: