Blessing the animals for the feast of St. Francis of Assisi is a nice tradition. But a Dutch priest is taking things to extremes:

A canary, a goldfish, a guinea pig, a handful of cats and more than two dozen dogs received blessings from a Catholic priest in church Thursday to mark World Animal Day.

In a ceremony that was sometimes touching and often comical, Rev. Pierre Valkering led his congregation in songs and prayers — frequently interrupted by meowing and yapping from the pews — before the blessing took place.

“Animals go through life with us, and that can be a great comfort,” he said. A dog barked loudly in seeming approval, to the delight of many children in attendance. “Sometimes they make us laugh, and that’s a blessing too.”

The goldfish went first and appeared very much in its element as Valkering sprinkled it with holy water.

Amadeus, a Cocker Spaniel, attempted to drink it. His owner, Luba Fedossova, an immigrant from Russia, said later, “They wouldn’t allow animals into churches back home.”

But in the Netherlands it is routine, at least in Valkering’s church, Our Dear Lady, Queen of Peace Church. He said some of his flock have brought pets to regular services, and “we’ve never had any trouble with that.”

St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals on whose feast day World Animal Day is held, was the inspiration for the Oct. 4 service — a seven-year-old tradition in Amsterdam.

Some of the congregation brought photos of pets that could not attend. They, too, were blessed. One boy brought his teddy bear. It, too, was blessed.

“May you be the happiest toy in the whole world,” Valkering said.

A photographer captured the blessed event, with the sprinkling holy water on a stuffed bear, above.

Photo: by Evert-Jan Daniels, AP