Luke Jerram’s monumental “Gaia” installation hangs aloft in the nave at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of our planet, often referred to as “Mother Earth.”
Luke Jerram’s monumental “Gaia” installation hangs aloft in the nave at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the personification of our planet, often referred to as “Mother Earth.”

There were few exotic animals this year, but the annual Blessing of the Animals on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi at the Episcopal Cathedral St. John the Devine on the Upper West Side is still a lively and colorful annual tradition.

Blessing of the Animals: What Happened to the Alpacas, Llamas and Camels?
05 Oct 2026 | 04:11
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There was something different about this year’s Blessing of the Animals, which takes place annually on or near October 4 for the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. While the packed Cathedral of St. John the Divine held plenty of barking dogs on this rainy Sunday morning, it lacked the usual guest list of...

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