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Blessing of the Animals Service to be Held Oct. 2

Outdoor worship service, which commemorates the Feast Day of St. Francis, became an annual event at Duke in 1989

Animals of every shape and size and their owners from all faiths are invited to the 17th annual Blessing of the Animals service at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, on the front lawn of Duke Chapel.

The hour-long program will feature performances by the Durham Children's Choir, readings and educational exhibits from local animal protection and welfare groups. Individual blessings will be given to each creature.

The Blessing of the Animals is an outdoor worship service held each year on the Sunday in October closest to the Feast Day of St. Francis. The Feast Day commemorates the 13th century Italian's belief that all creatures are from God and should be treated with dignity and respect. Similar gatherings will be held at churches across the country.

The Duke service became an annual event in 1989. Last year, Duke Chapel ministers blessed a horse, an iguana and a snake in addition to many cats and dogs. Ferrets, hedgehogs, calves, goats, sheep and goldfish have also attended.

Limited parking will be available in front of the chapel; trailers will be permitted in convenient spaces. Other parking will be in the Bryan Center lot, the Bryan Center parking deck and the Biological Sciences Building lot off Science Drive.

Chairs will be available for those who need them. Water and clean-up aids will be available for the animals, which should be under their owners' control at all times.

The rain date is 3 p.m. Oct. 9.