Every year the Santa Barbara Mission holds many events and celebrations. But one of the most special for residents is the annual Blessing of the Animals.
The Santa Barbara Mission is well known for its historical significance as well as its elegant church and grounds. But as a vibrant part of the community, the Mission also has an active parish and once a year the residents of this beautiful city flock to the church grounds for the Blessing of the Animals.
A ritual which traces its roots back to the 2nd century, the Blessing of the Animals welcomes sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, llamas, birds, fish and just about anything that walks, hops, swims, or flies. The usual definition of what can be blessed is “anything pawed, clawed, feathered or hooved” and the line of guests waiting for their blessing while accompanied by their owners is truly one of the most delightful sights of the year.
The Santa Barbara Mission was established in 1786 and was the 10th mission to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. Over 200 years later, the Mission is a cultural and historic landmark that serves as home to a community of Franciscan friars. Dressed in traditional brown robes, the friars oversee the Blessing of the Animals and usually the event happens on or around October 4th, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi.
During the blessing, the Franciscan friars sing, pray, pet and bless each animal by dipping a branch in holy water and shaking it gently over the pet. There are stories of young children bringing their stuffed animals for blessing and one year a 10 year old boy brought a handmade clay leech. The friar apparently included the leech in the sung prayer and blessed it, making the boy quite happy but leaving the leech a bit soggy.
The animals are on leashes or caged, and after the blessing the lovely lawns in front of the mission are dotted with picnicking families and their pets. Santa Barbara residents have many different types of pets but they all seem to get along wonderfully on the day of the blessing.
Santa Barbara is a mix of the old and the new, the traditional and the trendy. But some aspects of the city are timeless and each year at the Blessing of the Animals, the Santa Barbara Mission brings together pet owners and animal lovers in a lovely tradition that is centuries old.