Oct. 7th, 2009 - By: Admin

The statue of the robed monk with animals perched around him is so popular and well known, however many people do not know the person to whom these statues portray is St. Francis of Assisi. He was a 13th-century evangelist who renewed medieval Catholicism and in 1979, Pope John Paul II declared St. Francis of Assisi the patron saint of animals and ecology.

He began as a wealthy, worldly young knight who was taken as a prisoner of war during a conflict between Italian cities. After his release, he experienced Jesus speaking to him from the cross, telling him to "rebuild my church." As he began his work to rebuild the church he inspired many stories about his love for animals.  He is said to have brokered a truce between a ravenous wolf and villagers who wanted to kill it. He preached to birds -- and also gently commanded them to remain quiet during his outdoor sermons. He wrote the oldest-known poetry in any modern European language, including his famous "Canticle of Brother Sun."

Affection for St. Francis of Assisi has spread through the Western world, reaching far beyond his Italian Catholic roots. His popularity has led secular animal rescue groups to build campaigns around him. Christians everywhere celebrate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi on October 4 by having their pets blessed in the spirit of this patron saint of animals and ecology. St. Francis's love for animals was real, but closely connected to his Christian faith, it has been said that the sight of lambs being led to slaughter so reminded him of Christ that it would affect him so much that several times St. Francis is said to have ransomed one and given it to a friend as a pet.

Christians beleive one of the seven principles of Unitarian-Universalism is to respect the interdependent web of creation, of which we are a part. That includes every living thing, so blessing the animals is a logical outcome. Blessing their pets is an acknowledgement of the sacred worth of these creatures and the friendship and companionship they provide.