WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS W.Va. (WVDN) – It has been the tradition over the past several years for St. Thomas Episcopal Church in White Sulphur Springs to offer a Blessing of the Animals in October. The Feast of St. Francis falls in early October, so many Episcopal Churches throughout the country offer such blessings.
This year, the Blessing of the Animals service will be held at St. Thomas on Sunday, Oct. 6 at 4 p.m.
Weather permitting, the service will be held outdoors at the historic Episcopal Church in White Sulphur on Main Street. In case of rain, the service will be moved inside the church.
All well-behaved animals, either on a leash or crated, are welcome to accompany their owners for this special event.
The Humane Society of Greenbrier County will be on hand with some of their current residents to receive a blessing. A table with information from the society will be set up. Attendees are invited to bring a bag of dog food, cat food, or canned wet food for cats if they so desire. The Humane Society can always use cleaning supplies like Dawn dish soap, bleach or trash bags.
“This has always been a delightful service we have offered with the Greenbrier County Humane Society. We are so pleased to continue this tradition this year,” said the Rev. Betsy Walker, rector of St. Thomas. “Our Sunday services are also pet-friendly; folks can bring their animals with them to receive a blessing at our Communion rail if they so desire.”
St. Francis is known as the patron saint of animals and is often depicted as a monk with animals and birds around him for bird baths and feeders. He was a gentle saint who loved all of God’s creatures, great and small. He lived in the late 12th century in Italy.
St. Thomas Church is located on West Main Street in White Sulphur Springs, about 500 yards on the right down the hill from the train station and the Greenbrier Hotel entrance. “One way we have described our location is to say it’s the brown church with the red doors on Main Street,” Walker said with a smile.
For more information, please go to the St. Thomas Episcopal Church Facebook page or call the Humane Society at 304-645-4775.
