Blessing of the Animals at Hope Luterhan Church

Hope Lutheran Church will hold a special service to bless the Coachella Valley's furry, feathery and scaly friends Saturday, Oct. 1 in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, who is known as the patron saint of animals.

"We do a short litany and prayers and then give each animal an individual blessing," said Pastor Derek Fossey of .

The church is teaming up with and Animal Samaritans of the Desert, Fossey said.

"We think it will be a fairly big group,'' Fossey said.

Residents of the valley -- including nonmembers of both churches -- were invited to bring their pets or photos to be blessed.

The church asked that animals be put on leashes or placed in cages.

If you attend this event, send us your photos by e-mailing us at palmdesert@patch.com or uploading them to our Facebook Page.