MADRID —&nbsp;Hundreds of Spanish pet owners took their animals to church on Tuesday (Jan 17) where Catholic priests blessed them on the Day of St Anthony the Abbott, the patron saint of animals.

A few dogs barked, but most animals waited patiently to be sprinkled with holy water on the steps of the baroque St Anthony's Church in central Madrid.

Priest Angel Garcia then said Mass in front of dozens of pets inside, also to some barking from the pews.
<img alt="" data-caption="A dog licks holy water after being blessed at San Anton Church during celebrations on the feast of Spain's patron saint of animals, Saint Anthony, in Madrid, Spain on Jan 17, 2023.&lt;br /&gt;
PHOTO: Reuters" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3d416928-9b8c-4816-98e7-77431ed2847e" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/20230118_dogpray_reuters.jpg" />
Carlos Cabestany, 51, brought his greyhound, Rita.

"It is a Madrid tradition and we like to keep it alive," he said.

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Priest Antonio Dominguez, 67, blesses a dog with flowers soaked with holy water at San Antonio Abad Church during celebrations on the feast of Spain's patron saint of animals, Saint Anthony, in the neighbourhood of Churriana, in Malaga, Spain on Jan 17, 2023.

Spain

animals

Catholic Church

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Reuters

MADRID — Hundreds of Spanish pet owners took their animals to church on Tuesday (Jan 17) where Catholic priests blessed them on the Day of St Anthony the Abbott, the patron saint of animals. A few dogs barked, but most animals waited patiently to be sprinkled with holy water on the steps of the baroque St Anthony's Church in central...

Spanish pets blessed by priests in annual ritual