St Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, the environment, and one of the patron saints of Italy. Both the Roman Catholic and Anglican churches commemorate his life.
The Blessing of the Animals is a tradition of blessing pets and farm animals around his feast day. He is remembered as the creator of the first nativity scene.
Feast of St Francis
The Feast of St Francis of Assisi is celebrated on October 4. The next Feast of St Francis is Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
Blessing of the Animals in New York City
The Blessing of the Animals Mass is usually held at the:
- Cathedral of St John the Divine in Morningside Heights, Manhattan.
- St Francis of Assisi Church in Chelsea, Manhattan. stfrancisnyc.org 🇮🇹
St Francis of Assisi
Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was born in 1181 or 1182 in what is now Assisi, Italy. At the time, it was the Duchy of Spoleto in the Holy Roman Empire. Giovanni started preaching on his own, without church permission. People were attracted to his ideas of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
St Francis founded of the Franciscan Order of the Roman Catholic church in 1210. He created the first Christmas nativity scene in Greccio, Italy in 1223. St Francis received the stigmata in 1224.
He died in Assisi, Umbria, in the Papal States on October 3, 1226.