Faith & fur: Pet lovers gather for St Francis Day blessings

On Sunday morning, pet parents across Mumbai flocked to churches to have their beloved animals blessed on the feast day of St Francis o! Assisi, the Roman Catholic patron saint of animals and the environment. The annual ritual drew devoted pet owners, their companions ranging from dogs and cats to turtles, parakeets, and even a goat, all receiving prayers and blessings.

- Manoj Ramakrishnan

At Our Lady of Health Church in Chira Bazar, Kalbadevi, Vanessa Dsouza from Fort brought Goa, the furry companion of the late Ratan Tata, chairman of the Tata Group, who passed away in October 2024, from his home at Bombay House. She also brought her two-and-ahalf-year-old indie dogs, Sheru and Chris, adopted from the streets, to be blessed by Father Joseph D'Souza, the parish priest. Vanessa has faithfully attended the animal blessing ritual since her first experience at St. John the Evangelist Church in Fort, where Father D’Souza introduced the