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ogs in Oriental often get a pat on the head, or treats from passersby on the street. On Sunday, 18 dogs – with their humans in tow – lined up at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Sunday, to receive the annual Blessing Of The Animals.

Reverend Jeremiah Day of St. Thomas Episcopal Church blessing dogs at Sunday’s Blessing of the Animals.

The blessing comes as tribute to St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals, whose saint’s day is October 4.

Over the years, St. Thomas has seen a diverse lineup of animals for the blessing — cats, hermit crabs, gerbils, llamas, Gary Ramsey’s horse, an iguana and lizards. On Sunday, though, it was just canines, large and small, purebred and rescue mixes.

More of the quadripeds in the lineup.

Reverend Jeremiah Day officiated, sprinkling water from a cut piece of shrubbery serving as the aspergillum. The water was shaken toward the dogs drawing reaction from their owners as well.

Sisters Caroline and Emmie James react as water is cast toward their dog, Puck, who seemed to take it more in stride..

Jack looks apprehensive – not an unusual mode – while David and Jean White’s dogs await their blessing from Reverend Day.

A dog tries to suss out what is coming with the blessing from Reverend Day.

Posted Tuesday October 8, 2013 by Melinda Penkava