Duke Chapel to Hold Blessing of Animals Service Oct. 7
Pets of all types are invited to the service inspired by St. Francis
People are invited to bring all varieties of pets to Duke Chapel's annual Blessing of the Animals service 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7.
The service will last about 30 minutes and will feature performances by the Durham Children's Choir, scripture readings and a reflection by Father Michael Martin, director of the Duke Catholic Center and a Franciscan friar. Individual animal blessings will take place following the service by various ministers from the chapel.
The rain date for this event is 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 14.
Limited parking is available in front of the chapel for those with large animals; trailers are permitted in convenient spaces. Other parking is available in the Bryan Center surface lot, the Bryan Center parking deck and behind the Biological Sciences Building lot off Science Drive.
Duke will provide water and trash cans for the animals, which should be under their owners' control at all times.
Since 1989, Duke Chapel ministers have blessed a menagerie of pets at the service, including horses, iguanas, snakes, ferrets, hedgehogs, calves, goats, sheep, goldfish and grasshoppers, as well as many cats and dogs.
The service, held the Sunday closest to the Feast Day of St. Francis, takes its inspiration from the 13th century Italian Catholic friar who lived a life of voluntary poverty and is most notably known for his love of animals. Francis believed in the ability and duty of all creatures to worship God.