Every year for St. Francis Day, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine holds a special service for the blessing of the animals. Any animals – dogs, cats, lizards, alpacas, hawks, and rabbits. People can bring their pets and attend the service, and an animal sanctuary from upstate New York sends rescue animals that it has rehabilitated. This year, a camel and a tortoise were among the visitors.

The congregation

An owl waits to enter the cathedral

Led by a service dog, the animals begin the procession

The entry of the camel

An alpaca and a camel wait for their blessing

The bishop blesses every animal in the procession