Xaghra Parish » Gallery » 2008 » 02 OCT 08 ANIMAL AWARENESS DAY CELEBRATING FEAST OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI

The liturgical feast of St Francis of Assisi falls on the 4th day of October. This year, falling on a Saturday, Patri Mattew Sultana School celebrated it on Thursday 2 October. As part of Animal Awareness Day, an exhibition of paintings and posters raised by the schoolchildren was held in the School's foyer. In them the children expressed their thoughts on animal welfare and showed their love for animals. In the afternoon, parents brought the children's pets to school and handed them over to the pupils. There was a vast range of pets, from the bigger ones the dogs and the cats to the smaller ones tortoises and birds. School Assitant Head Ms Mary Anne Zammit introduced the ceremony. The Spiritual Director, Canon Anthony Refalo, briefly touched on the life of St Francis and his love for animals and the environment. A statue of the Saint was for the first time exhibited. This was kindly lent for the occassion by the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus of Xaghra. Canon Refalo then recited prayers, blessed the children and went round sprinkling holy water on the pets.

C3 Reassuring his pet of his love for it
C4 Can Refalo, Spiritual Director
C5 Parents enjoy the scene in front of them
C6 Time for a siesta for boy and pet
C7 Praying over kids and pets
C8 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
C9 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D1 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D2 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D3 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D4 holding high to catch as much holy water as possible
D4a
D5 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D6 Sprinkling holy water on kids and pets
D7 Pets
D8 Can Refalo generously sprinkles younger ones with water
D9 Admiring a pet
E1 Reaching up to the very little ones
E2
E3 Hampster reading the news

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