Pets get blessed during Long Beach interfaith event
By Orange County on October 3, 2022
All pets go to heaven — at least those that got blessed in Long Beach over the weekend.
The annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals once again took place on Sunday evening, Oct. 2, at Granada Beach, an annual event timed for the week of St. Francis of Assisi’s feast day. St. Francis, whose feast day is celebrated on Oct. 4 each year, is the patron saint of animals.
Robin Johnston of Long Beach, left, and Bella, a Chihuahua Yorkie mix, pose with Rabbi Mikal Loving on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
The Reverend David Clark of Bay Shore Church blesses a dog on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer
Rabbi Mikal Loving blesses a dog on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Pastor Kevin Johnson of Strength Church, right, leads other faith leaders in prayer on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Scores of pet owners and spectators gather on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, for Justin Rudd’s annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Faith leaders make their entrance on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the start of Justin Rudd’s annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Pastor Samuel Nieva of Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church in Compton blesses a dog on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Dogs and their owners line up on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Dogs and their owners line up on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Dogs and their owners turn out on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, for the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Dogs and their owners turn out on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, for the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Sabrina Hernandez and Derek Parent of Long sit in line with Jackson, a Labrador Shar Pei mix, on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Gesselle Garcia of Long Beach holds Gizmo, her 15-year-old Shi Tzu who underwent surgery earlier in the day, as he’s blessed by Pastor Samuel Nieva of Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church in Compton on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals in Belmont Shore. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Cashis, a 10-year-old Swiss White Shepard, is blessed by Rabbi Mikal Loving on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
A cat is blessed by The Reverend Mark A. Strader of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
A pit bull mix is blessed by The Reverend Kevin Johnson of Strength Church on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Anders Johnson of Tustin holds his 9-year-old Chihuahua, Abigail, as she’s blessed by he Reverend Mark A. Strader of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Rev. Mark A. Strader of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church blesses Adela Paz’s cockatiels on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during Justin Rudd’s annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Pamela Reiley of West Hollywood holds Harley, her 14-year-old wire-haired dachshund miniature poodle mix, as he’s blessed by Rev. Ava Park of the Goddess Temple of Orange County on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Rev. Ava Park of the Goddess Temple of Orange County, blesses a dog on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
Rev. Ava Park of the Goddess Temple of Orange County blesses 10-year-old Riley, a poodle mix suffering from cancer, on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, during the annual Interfaith Blessing of the Animals at Rosie’s Dog Beach in Long Beach. (Photo by Howard Freshman, Contributing Photographer)
The event featured reverends, priests, pastors and rabbis blessing scores of pets, mostly dogs — but also birds, cata and other animals.
Some of the pets that were blessed are older or sick, including Riley, a 10-year-old poodle mix who has cancer; Riley was blessed by Rev. Ava Park of the Goddess Temple of Orange County.
And Gesselle Garcia, of Long Beach, brought Gizmo, a 15-year-old shih tzu, to the blessing after he underwent surgery earlier in the day. Pastor Samuel Nieva, of Pueblo de Dios Lutheran Church, in Compton, blessed Gizmo.
Photographer Howard Freshman contributed to this report.
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