Annual outdoor service celebrating pets and their families in honor of St. Francis of Assisi
Lynnfield, MA — St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 127 Summer Street, Lynnfield, will conduct its annual Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at 12:00 noon in the church parking lot. All members of the community are welcome to bring their pets.
The Blessing of the Animals coincides with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, who is noted for his love of all of God’s creation. In past years, St. Paul’s has seen dogs, cats, hamsters, stuffed animals — even cell phone photographs of pets who couldn’t attend physically — at this annual blessing.
“The day we celebrate St. Francis is a great day to bless our animals,” said the Rev. Robert Bacon, rector of St. Paul’s. “Our pets are beloved members of God’s creation. This is a wonderful way to gather, give thanks for, and bless our animals and the families who love them.”
The parish of St. Paul’s, founded in Lynnfield in 1918, is a growing parish of the Episcopal Church that works to connect with God and each other through worship, prayer, service, and study. More information about St. Paul’s is available at www.stpaulslynnfield.org.
