(Photos by Nick Adams for WSB)
It’s an autumn tradition – Blessing of the Animals events/services around the feast day of the patron saint of animals, Saint Francis of Assisi. For the past several years, the lone outdoor public event in West Seattle has been offered by St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, in the adjacent West Seattle High School parking lot, WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams was there as St. John’s Rev. Greg Peters carried on the tradition:

Some of the pets weren’t quite ready for face-to-face interaction- like the Williams’ cat:

John Hanson‘s 8-year-old dog Barly, though, was ready to go:

With holy water and a sprig of greenery in hand, Rev. Peters continued ministering to pet after pet:

Owners offered words of reassurance – Clementine the greyhound listened to her person, Tim:

And Sammy looked up, wide-eyed:

Also blessing animals today – three religious leaders during a nondenominational service at Alki UCC. And other events were held around the region as well as elsewhere in the country; our news partners at The Seattle Times visited an Edmonds church where pets from a guinea pig to a tarantula were blessed.