- Feb 5, 2002
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St. Peter’s Square was filled with horses, cows, donkeys, dogs, sheep, chickens, and rabbits on Wednesday for the feast of St. Anthony Abbot.
Farmers and pet owners alike brought out their beloved animals to the Vatican for a special blessing on Jan. 17.
While many American Catholics associate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a blessing of animals, in Italy farmers traditionally celebrate the feast of St. Anthony Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals. St. Anthony is also known as St. Anthony of the Desert, St. Anthony of Egypt, and St. Anthony the Great, among other names.
St. Anthony Abbot was a fourth-century hermit known for his asceticism and as a father of monasticism. His holy life in the Egyptian desert was recorded by St. Athanasius in “The Life of St. Antony.”
Continued below.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
Farmers and pet owners alike brought out their beloved animals to the Vatican for a special blessing on Jan. 17.
While many American Catholics associate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi with a blessing of animals, in Italy farmers traditionally celebrate the feast of St. Anthony Abbot, the patron saint of domestic animals. St. Anthony is also known as St. Anthony of the Desert, St. Anthony of Egypt, and St. Anthony the Great, among other names.
St. Anthony Abbot was a fourth-century hermit known for his asceticism and as a father of monasticism. His holy life in the Egyptian desert was recorded by St. Athanasius in “The Life of St. Antony.”
Continued below.
PHOTOS: Animals blessed in St. Peter’s Square for feast of St. Anthony Abbot
On the feast of the co-patron saint of animals, the Vatican welcomed animals large and small to be blessed by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.
www.catholicnewsagency.com
