Dozens of dogs, cats receive blessings at Boardman church

By LINDA M. LINONIS

linonis@vindy.com

boardman

From 192-pound Mitch, a 6-year-old Great Dane with arthritis, to tiny 13-year-old Libby, a chihuahua with a heart condition, dogs of all sizes — along with a few cats — received individual blessings Sunday from the Rev. John Wigle, retired priest associate.

The occasion was the annual Blessing of Animals in conjunction with Rogation Sunday at St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave.

Mitch’s owner, Jean Jevosok of Canfield, said she wanted to bring her pet to get the blessing because he suffers from arthritis. She said Mitch — at 42 inches — is the second-tallest Great Dane on record.

Meanwhile, Patty Trell cradled two of the smallest canines at the blessing — Libby and 7-month-old Mia, both chihuahuas.

“She’s a special little girl,” Trell said of Libby, who has a heart problem.

This is the second year Trell has attended to get the blessing for Libby.

These pet owners joined others who brought about 60 pets to the annual blessing. Though the sky was dotted with gray clouds and the wind never let up, pet owners had sunny smiles on their faces as Father Wigle petted and blessed each animal individually.

He said Rogation Sunday, the sixth Sunday after Easter, is an Anglican tradition.

“People would gather at the church and march around the perimeter,” he said. “It was called ‘beating the borders.’”

Then, he said, farm animals were blessed because the community depended on them, and fields with the new crops also would be blessed.

Read the full story with photographs from the event Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.