Filenews 4 October 2021
Events, on the occasion of the World Animal Day, were organized today by the Party for Animals after consultation with the Metropolitan Bishop of Limassol Athanasios and Tamassos and Mountainous Isaiah, with the aim of blessing animals by the Church.
As stated in the party's announcement, the purpose of the event, which may be being held for the first time in Cyprus, apart from the fact that it is a reminder of the importance and important role of animals in our lives, is also the blessing of all animals that are suffering on the planet and those that need our help.
In Limassol, the event took place at 16:00 in the afternoon in the courtyard of the church of Panagia Pantanassa (or Catholic).
The audience attended the event along with their pets.
His All-Holiness Metropolitan Athanasios, after a brief reference to excerpts from the Bible concerning animals and a short prayer, gave his blessing to the beloved animals.
Statements by the Metropolitan bishop of Limassol, Athanasios:
It is a blessing that our church gives to animals. And this is a very old tradition because the church, always, in memory of St. Fashionos, December 16, blesses the animals. There are special wishes written in the wish list, which are called wishes of St. God, which are blessed animals. And on Mount Athos where we were for years, there on the day of St. Fashion we did holy water and blessed the animals and all the animals that were close to us because we needed them. But the church also blesses the animals because they too are God's creation.
They are not human of course, but God did them for man, they help man. The Bible says, "A righteous man who is a pier of animal souls." The righteous man is saddened and loves and cares for his animals. It is the first time and because today is world day (of animals), but I would like this day to become the day of St. Modestus which has been in our tradition in the Orthodox for centuries.
Statements by Kyriakos Kyriacou, president of the Party for Animals:
It is in honour of the two Metropolises, Tamassos and Limassol. It is not something of lightning in the sky. It is done in all countries of the world. Animals are part of our lives. If the bees disappear, we will disappear too. So why not bless them. It's normal.
