A first for Salisbury – Service for Pets

Salisbury, Ely and St Albans cathedrals will welcome all creatures great and small over the next few weeks for their annual pet services.

All Creatures Great And Small: A Service Of Blessing For Our Pets

Salisbury Cathedral is to hold its first service for pets this Saturday (14 September)

All Creatures Great And Small: A Service Of Blessing For Our Pets will be an informal afternoon service that will bless and give thanks for all God’s creatures, and the joy and companionship they bring to our daily lives.

Canon Precentor Anna Macham said:

“Pets can be very important to our lives, offering comfort and companionship. We hope this service will be an uplifting and enjoyable afternoon, celebrating the bond many of us have with our animals.”

The service will take place at the west end of the Cathedral, with the large doors opening onto the lawn. Visitors are welcome to join the service inside the Cathedral or gather with their animals outside.

Aimed at children and their families, the service will include readings, hymns and music sung by the Cathedral choristers and the Cathedral’s Junior Choir. There will be hymns by John Rutter and Andrew Carter, as well as music from the pop cantata Captain Noah and His Floating Zoo.

Everyone is welcome to come along with their pets or a photograph of their favourite animal.

All Creatures Great And Small: A Service Of Blessing For Our Pets takes place on Saturday 14 September at 2pm at Salisbury Cathedral.

Ely Cathedral will hold its annual Animal Service with the children’s choir, Therapy Dogs Nationwide and Marley the Donkey!

The service on Sunday 22 September is an opportunity to give thanks for the animal companions we share our lives and our planet, to bring them into the Cathedral, to reflect on how best to care for animals and to ask God to bless them.

All proceeds from this service will go to local animal charities.

And it is the second year that St Albans Cathedral will welcome all creatures great and small for their annual pet blessing.

They welcomed more than 100 creatures into the cathedral last year and will hold a short informal pet blessing service again this year, on 6 October.

The pet blessing service welcomes all pets and gives thanks for all God’s creatures and the joy and companionship they bring to people’s lives.

Canon Will Gibbs, who organised last year’s service said,

“We were delighted that the service was so well attended. As a Cathedral we are committed to the environment and this is yet another important and fun way of expressing this priority for us. We hope to see you next year!’

Photo credit : Toby Shepherd Photography