Livestock, pets flock to St. Peter's Square for feast day blessing

Vatican City, 18 January 2014: In a traditional observance for the feast of St. Anthony the Abbot, hundreds of farm animals were brought to St. Peter’s Square on January 17, to receive a blessing from Cardinal Angelo Comastri, the vicar general for Vatican City.

Members of an Italian association of farmers and ranchers brought their donkeys, cows, horses, rabbits, hens, geese, sheep, goats and pigs, who munched on hay or feed in their wooden pens.

The unique event is organized annually by the Italian Association of Livestock Farmers, for whom St. Anthony is the patron saint. The group also invited residents of Rome to bring their household pets for a free veterinary inspection, and offered free fruit to passersby.

Italian police mounted on horseback paraded up the wide boulevard leading to the square and two police dogs, with their agents, circled and sniffed pedestrians enthusiastically -- unaware they were off-duty to get a blessing.

Before the blessing, Cardinal Comastri celebrated a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica with members of the livestock association and their families.

Standing near the animals' pens, he thanked Italian farmers for helping care for nature and providing communities with healthy, wholesome food.

He said Pope Francis has reminded people of their duty to protect creation.

The cardinal said the recent cleaning and restoration of Bernini's colonnade surrounding St. Peter's Square revealed the extent and seriousness of urban pollution.

Workers spent the past five years scrubbing and sandblasting off black grime, showing just how much pollution is ending up in people's lungs, he said.

He said he hoped the farmers' example of being ethical and honest stewards of God's gifts would "become contagious" and influence everyone.Source: CNS