Awhile ago, I attended the blessing of the beasts at the St. John the Divine cathedral in New York City. This is held on St. Francis of Assisi day of blessing animals. Beginning with a large glass jar of alge and ending with the majestic elephant who slowly walks down the aisle after the very large doors are open to allow the entrance.

As the animals are processing, the beautiful music of Missa Gaia (Earth Mass) by (Paul Winter) playing as soaring notes of a soprano sax float throughout.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbBgQ2NCBhs

This book is beautifully illustrated and tells a story of the lowest of the animals, a group of cockroaches who fear they will not be welcomed at the blessing.

And, as St. Francis of Assisi celebrated all animals, in this story, the cockroaches travel from lower Manhattan up to the cathedral where they were indeed blessed.

NCLA Review - St. Francis loves all God’s creatures, or does he? This is what Francesca, a lovely lady cockroach and her close friend Martin, a somewhat wise skunk, wonder. Francesca and Martin met in a trash can. Francesca admits she was somewhat startled when Martin rose from the garbage can “wearing a cap of coleslaw and a mustache of yogurt,” but they have been friends ever since. As soon as Francesca hears from three uptown roaches that a special blessing of the animals is to be held, she wants to attend. Martin advises against it, warning that churches are only for “respectables” and they were outcasts. And so the story begins. This inviting story offers double delights. The story is especially creative and imaginative and it is accompanied by exceptional woodcut illustrations by award winning artist Barry Moser. Ages 4-8. Rating: 4—MMW ( )