Manhattan menagerie

{St. John the Divine, Morningside Heights, NY}

Every autumn, this Manhattan cathedral transforms for a day into an extraordinary menagerie of cute creatures.

The Blessing of the Animals (aw), inspired by animal-lover St. Francis, honors harmony between humans and nature. People from all walks of life bring their pets, or just come to enjoy.

{Despite a full house, there's amazingly little noise beyond tail thumping - as if the animals know it's their special day!}

It's an autumn ritual that just makes Manhattan life sweeter.

(Images from Michael Williams via Sacred Destinations, daylife and the gothamist (#3-4)).