Many pet parents and animal lovers may not be aware of the annual tradition practiced at the historic Olvera Street. A practice that blesses our furry friends with holy water. On April 19, Olvera Street hosted its yearly tradition of this religious practice between Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, “La Placita,” and Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles. The event was open to all, regardless of their religious affiliation or species.
Blessing animals has been a recurring theme at Olvera Street, with origins dating back to the fourth century. The patron saint of domesticated animals, including pets and livestock, Saint Anthony the Abbot, began blessing animals for their good health in the fourth century. Olvera Street started practicing this ceremony when the pueblo (town) was founded in 1930 to bless the town’s livestock. The priests of La Placita Church initiated this practice to maintain the health and productivity of the farm livestock, thereby meeting the town’s needs.
Over the years, the town began to evolve, and so it began to slaughter animals; now this practice has spread to all types of animals. Attendee Joshua was surprised to see, “A lizard, I saw a lizard, and then a cow; those two were interesting.” Amongst a lizard, a cow, and birds, common pets such as dogs and cats were all part of the receiving line at the event.
Due to the high anticipation for four-legged animals, the line was scheduled to start forming at 1 p.m., even though the blessing was not expected to begin until 2 p.m. The line wrapped around the block for over two hours with bowls of water set out for animals. At the end of the line was Archbishop José Gomez, showering the animals with holy water as they passed by the stage, accompanied by a Mariachi group playing in the background. “Thank you for bringing your pets here today, if you enjoyed your day today and would like to make a donation and would like to make a donation we have a Venmo and a piñata here,” the announcer explained as attendees received their blessing.
After the blessings, guests were invited to partake in food and entertainment in the plaza. There were folklorico and Aztec dance groups, as well as booths offering information about animals. The prominent animal welfare organization, Best Friends, had multiple setups around the event to inform guests about adoption, fostering, and other animal services.
This event is an annual tradition that takes place the day before Easter at Olvera Street. For more information on future events, visit olveraevents.com for more upcoming events.
