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    Dogs, pigs, horses and animals of all kinds gathered at churches throughout the world yesterday in celebration of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of animals. For years, churches, including the Vatican, have set aside a special mass dedicated to giving God's furry creatures a blessing. Check out the heartwarming photos from this year's Blessing of the Animals. 

    PUP PATRONS

    Women and their dogs line up as a priest distributes bibles before mass at San Anton Church in Madrid. 

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    ANIMALS AT THE VATICAN 

    A calf sits patiently in a shed set up in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. The shed was crowded with animals aplenty — ducks, pigs, horses, and other cows waited to be blessed. The Vatican organized a mid-morning mass to give blessings to farm animals and the people who work with them.

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    PUP IN PEW 

    A butterfly-wearing pup looks over the back of a pew during mass at San Anton Church in Madrid. 

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    ST. PETER'S SQUARE SWEETHEARTS 

    A woman from Michigan holds her Maltese poodle Nina close as she attends a blessing of the animals ceremony in front of St. Peter's Square at the Vatican. 

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    DOUBLE BLESSING 

    Two hamsters are held in the palm of their owner's hand as she offers them up to be blessed by a priest outside San Anton church in Madrid. 

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    HOLY HORSES 

    Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi blesses horses in front of St. Peter's Square.

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    CANINE CHURCHGOER 

    A dog listens to the priest as he sits on his owner's lap at San Anton church in Madrid.

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    MALTESE AT MASS

    A dog in a sweater accepts a kind blessing from Cardinal Gianfranco at the Vatican.

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    PRIEST TO PARROT 

    San Anton's priest tells a parrot to remember to say his prayers every night. 

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    GOBBLE GRACE 

    Cardinal Angelo Comastri blesses turkeys in their pen in front of the Saint Peter Basilica. 

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    PATIENT PATRONS 

    A man poses with his wiener dog as they wait to be blessed at Saint Peter's Basilica. 

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    PATIENT PUP

    A dog looks up as he is anointed with holy water from Father Juan Manuel Villar at the San Anton church in the center of Madrid, Spain.

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    BULLY BLESSING 

    Looks like someone doesn't exactly enjoy being splashed with holy water. 

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    MASS FOR MUTTS 

    Dogs fill up the pews at the Church of S. Franceso da Paola in Venice, Italy, as they wait patiently (well, sort of) to be blessed. 

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    SAN DIEGO DOG   

    One of San Diego's most popular canines, Chopper the Biker Dog, drove himself right to San Diego's Old Town to receive a blessing from Monsignor Mark Campbell. 

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    Next: 12 National Animal Holidays

    FAMILY AFFAIR 

    A woman poses with her dog as they sit for a special service where she will later be blessed.