On October 4th creatures that slither, swim, walk, or fly will gather together to form peaceable kingdoms in locations across the world.

Since I didn't email this month's update I thought I would share the news about this annual celebration known to some as the Feast Day of St Francis and to others as World Animal Day.

Today more than 63% of households in America have pets and so pet blessings are on the rise. A large percentage of them take place in late September and early October due to celebrations of St Francis and World Animal Day–and this trend continues to escalate.

If you didn't know, I wrote, "Blessing of the Animals: A Guide to Prayers & Ceremonies Celebrating Pets & Other Creatures" (ISBN 1402729677). The book explores the long traditions of pet blessings and contemporary trends such as pet parties and pet memorials.

The great thing about pets are that it brings together all faiths in ceremonies and other gatherings during the celebrations. Anecdotal accounts about animal blessings surface frequently, going back to the 4th Century, but actual documentation is scarce.

World Animal Day, originally established in 1931, was conceived by a group of ecologists as a way to highlight the plight of endangered species, but it wasn’t until 2003 when it became a worldwide celebration of animal life of all types.

If you haven't read the book, I interviewed many spiritual leaders about their animal blessings and discovered that animals help people cross religious lines to find common ground and that contemporary ceremonies have become mainstream staples of society.

My book evolved to include tips and ceremonies such as pet showers and parties, pet eulogies, yappy hours, pet pageants, howl - o - ween, and many other animal events. These activities are on the rise but the celebrations that attract the most animals and pet parents are the blessing of the animals events.

Some people take offense over such activities but my research reveals that motivation behind blessings and other events is that people simply want a way to honor animals and the roles they have in our lives.

In some areas the blessings still ask for health and fertility of working animals but today most pet owners celebrate the love and companionship they get from their animals.

If you did not know, St. Francis is known as the patron saint of animals and the environment (ecology) and was the founder of the Catholic Franciscan Order. St. Francis believed that all God’s creations reveal something about the nature of God and God’s love.

In the USA, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City attracts thousands of people and animals to its animal friendly service which makes the largest blessing of the animals in the United States. The Holy Eucharist & Procession of Animals takes place from late morning until early afternoon but participants arrive hours before services begin. Look for it online later today.

Blessing events are usually peaceable kingdoms. Sometimes animals are restless, but most cooperate. That is because they have a list of commandments: Thou shall come when called, Thou shall behave in public…

If you are interested in the other commandments you can find them in my book which is available at booksellers in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom or online here http://goo.gl/n51L4 or at barnesandnoble.com.