Animal blessing on the Dießener Schatzbergalm

Created: 10/06/2022 11:33 am

By: Dieter Roettig

With a respectful distance from the Belgian shepherds, Pastor Josef Kirchensteiner gave the blessing for World Animal Day.

© Roettig

Dießen – According to legend, even the big bad wolf became tame and trusting in the presence of Francis of Assissi (1182-1226).

The founder of the Franciscan order is considered the patron saint of all animals and World Animal Day has been celebrated on his name day since 1931.

He was also honored in the market town of Dießen by the Kolping family with an animal blessing on the Schatzbergalm.

However, in contrast to Francis of Assissi, Pastor Josef Kirchensteiner did not really trust the peace when it was the turn of two mighty Belgian Shepherd Dogs to carry out the blessing.

At a respectful distance, he sprinkled his holy water tuft on the wolf's attentive descendants.

Organized by Stefan Brachner and Volker Bippus from the Dießen Kolping Family, the blessing of the animals took place for the first time as part of a small mountain mass on the Schatzbergalm outside of Dießen.

What was well-intentioned turned out to be too far for many a dog owner or cat mom.

So just a dozen animal lovers with their four-legged friends came to the Alm. Their wish: Next year the blessing should take place again in front of the Marienmünster.

Listening dogs

Pastor Kirchensteiner interpreted the initial barking and barking with Psalm 150, where it says: "Everything that breathes, praise the Lord." After the animal song of praise, the excitement quickly subsided and the four-legged friends listened almost devoutly to the "Laudato si “.

Kirchensteiner emphasized that the blessing should clearly show that animals are just as much a part of creation as human beings.

The basis for this can already be found in the Bible.

"God saw that it was good," it says after the creation of the animals.

With regard to the peaceful group of dogs of different breeds and sizes, the pastor said that the animals should serve as role models for the people.

Other cultures, religions and skin colors should not play a role in living together.

Incidentally, what very few people know: In 1223, Francis of Assisi “invented” the Christmas nativity play with living figures.

In a rock niche near the Italian Greccio (Lazio region) he met an ox and a donkey and shared his meager food with the two starving animals.

With them and his brothers, Francis of Assisi then recreated what happened on the holy night.