Blessing of animals at the Church of St.Francis of Assisi
bleesing of animals
04 Oct 2021
/ 10:51
CORFU. A Greek tradition which is carried out every year on the island.
Members of all religions and denominations - Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant and others - gather outside the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Corfu on this day every year so that their pets can receive the special blessings, whether they be dogs, cats, birds or even fish in their bowls.
Following the service, the Catholic Archbishop and priests come out of the church and read the blessings of St. Francis of Assisi to all the animals that wait there patiently every year.
The tradition of blessing animals started a long time in the past and is held every year on 4 October, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of animals and the environment and which has also been designated World Animal Day.
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Corfu is one of the oldest churches on the island. The exact date that it was built is unknown but is said to have existed from the 13th century and on 20 May, 1367, it was given to the Order of Franciscan Monks, who turned it into an important religious centre of the time.
The church is built in the single-aisled basilica style and features a Romanesque belfry. It was renovated and consecrated by Archbishop Benedetto Bragadino on 17 September 1621. The central podium is dedicated to St. Francis and the others to St. Barbara, St. Anthony of Padua, the Holy Virgin and St. Rocco.
In the 18th century, the Church of St. Francis was reconstructed and in 1798 the first public school opened in the monastery. Due to the destruction of the Catholic Metropolitan Church in the 2nd World War, the monastery became a cathedral until the Catholic Metropolitan Church - the Duomo - was rebuilt and dedicated to the saints James the Apostle and Christopher the Martyr.
kerkyraion-istoria.blogspot.com
Following the service, the Catholic Archbishop and priests come out of the church and read the blessings of St. Francis of Assisi to all the animals that wait there patiently every year.
The tradition of blessing animals started a long time in the past and is held every year on 4 October, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of animals and the environment and which has also been designated World Animal Day.
Church of St. Francis of Assisi
The Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Corfu is one of the oldest churches on the island. The exact date that it was built is unknown but is said to have existed from the 13th century and on 20 May, 1367, it was given to the Order of Franciscan Monks, who turned it into an important religious centre of the time.
The church is built in the single-aisled basilica style and features a Romanesque belfry. It was renovated and consecrated by Archbishop Benedetto Bragadino on 17 September 1621. The central podium is dedicated to St. Francis and the others to St. Barbara, St. Anthony of Padua, the Holy Virgin and St. Rocco.
In the 18th century, the Church of St. Francis was reconstructed and in 1798 the first public school opened in the monastery. Due to the destruction of the Catholic Metropolitan Church in the 2nd World War, the monastery became a cathedral until the Catholic Metropolitan Church - the Duomo - was rebuilt and dedicated to the saints James the Apostle and Christopher the Martyr.
kerkyraion-istoria.blogspot.com
