Rite to bless animals on the feast of San Antonio Abad

Every January 17, the Catholic Church celebrates the feast of San Antonio Abad, patron saint of animals. For this reason, we share with you a rite with which a priest can bless our pets and livestock, asking for the intercession of this saint.

This blessing proposal is from the Italian parish Lonato del Garda and Capagnawhere there is a lot of devotion to San Antonio because there is a ancient church built in honor of the saint.

It is necessary to remember that Saint Anthony is considered the patron saint of animals, because tradition indicates that he received help from several animals, including a javelina (female wild boar) whom he cared for along with her young with great affection. For this reason, Saint Anthony is also usually represented with a wild pig.

Below the rite of Blessing of animals through the intercession of San Antonio Abad:

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
A. Amen.

God, admirable in all his works, be with you all.
R. And with your spirit.

In the design of God the Creator, even the animals that populate the sky, the earth and the sea participate in human affairs. Providence that encompasses the entire scale of living beings, uses these precious and faithful friends of man and his image to signify the gifts of salvation.
Saved from the waters of the flood through the ark, they participate in some way in the covenant covenant with Noah; the lamb remembers the paschal immolation and the liberation from slavery in Egypt; a large fish saves Jonah from shipwreck; the ravens feed the prophet Elijah; The animals, with men, participate in the penance of Nineveh and with all creation are part of the plan of universal redemption.
Let us, therefore, invoke the blessing of God through the intercession of Saint Anthony the Abbot on these creatures and give thanks to the Creator who has placed them at our service, let us ask that we always walk in his law and that we never fail in our human and Christian dignity.

Bible Reading

Let’s listen to the Word of God from the book of Genesis (1, 20-28)

God said: “Let the waters be filled with a multitude of living creatures and let birds fly over the earth, through the firmament of heaven.”
God created the great sea monsters, the various kinds of living beings that fill the waters by gliding in them, and all species of animals with wings. And God saw that this was good.
Then he blessed them, saying: “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the waters of the seas and let the birds multiply on the earth.
Thus there was an evening and a morning: this was the fifth day.
God said, “Let the earth produce all kinds of living creatures: cattle, reptiles, and wild animals of every kind.” And so it happened.
God made the various kinds of animals of the field, the various kinds of livestock, and all the creeping things of the earth, whatever their kind. And God saw that this was good.
God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, the cattle, the wild animals of the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the ground be subject to him.
And God created man in his image; He created him in the image of God, he created them male and female.
And he blessed them, saying: “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it; dominate the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky and all living things that move on the earth.

Prayer of the faithful

God created man and placed him on earth so that, exercising his dominion over all animals, he would celebrate the glory of his Creator. Let us join in the song of the creatures and say together:
R. How great are your works, Lord!

Blessed are you, Lord, who provides food for every living thing. R.
Blessed are you, Lord, who have put animals at the service of man to help them in their daily work. R.
Blessed are you, Lord, who in the lilies of the field and in the birds of the sky, you have given us a sign of your beauty and your providence. R.
Blessed are you, Lord, who in the Passover Lamb have given us the image of your Son in whom we can call ourselves and be your children. R.
Blessed are you, Lord, who through domestic animals give us relief and company. R.
Blessed are you, Lord, for all your creatures who invite us to sing your praises. R.

Our Father…

Prayer of blessing

Oh God, source of all good, who in animals
you have given us a sign of your providence
and a help in our daily work,
through the intercession of San Antonio Abad
grant us how to use them wisely
recognizing the dignity
and the limit of our human condition.
Through Christ our Lord.
A. Amen.

Holy Water

Revive in us, oh Father,
in the sign of this holy water,
our adherence to Christ,
scoop of the new creation
and source of all blessing.

Conclusion

God, who created the animals of the earth
as help and support in our earthly life
protect us and preserve us always.
A. Amen.