In addition to this lizard gaily decked out in a red ribbon, I saw a couple of snakes and a very small iguana to represent the reptile world of animals.
The Blessing of the Animals in the plaza at Olvera Street is an old tradition in Los Angeles that goes back 87 years. When I’ve attended in the past, the whole area has been packed with people and their pets.
This year there was a much smaller crowd lined up for Archbishop Gomez’s blessing. It was shocking how few were there. Where were they? At the anti-Trump tax march a few blocks away?
Anti Trump tax protesters waiting for the Metro at Union Station.
Perhaps some pet owners were at the march, but I suspect the smaller attendance was due to fear of ICE. (That’s the Immigration Control people for those of you reading this outside the U.S.)
Anyway…here is some of what I saw in April 2017. There will be a post about the Aztec dancers tomorrow and later this week, a post about the children dancing. There was a lot going on Saturday!
I think I may have taken a photo of this woman and her dog a few years ago. The dog with a crown looks familiar. As I looked around and saw so many women wearing flower crowns I realized that Frida Khalo got it right. We should all wear flower crowns! Oh, if you are a Khalo fan there is an exhibition of photos of her at MOLAA in Long Beach.
Green park benches had been lined up all over the waiting area for people and their pets. Most of the benches were empty. There were so few people with their pets–so surprising! Happily Superman and a woman with a red rose crown brought their two dogs.Of course there were mariachis! The procession begins with the priests and Archbishop. They are followed by the cow and other farm animals owned by one of the Olvera St. merchants, then come the merchants, their families and, next, the entertainers. After that the blessing of pets by anyone who wants to participate in this event.
The cow that lead this year’s Blessing of Animals procession was a new mother which, we were told, was restless because she had been separated from her calf.Goats and their escorts–young ladies in colorful clothes.
Daughters of Olvera St. merchants arrive in a cheerfully decorated carriage. They carried the bunny rabbits as usual.
Even the Aztec dancers who performed in the Plaza lined up for the Archbishop’s blessing. More about them tomorrow.
Archbishop Gomez reading a prayer for the occasion. In front of him is the cow that lead the procession.
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