ALL CREATURES great and small were blessed at a Gwent church yesterday.

Residents and farmers travelled up winding roads to hilltop St Tudor’s Church in Mynyddislwyn, near Pontllanfraith, to bring their dogs, cats, chickens, rabbits and horses to the annual animal blessing ceremony.

The congregation of around 50 people sung animal-themed hymns while the animals waited patiently to be blessed - not by the Vicar of Dibley, as in a famous episode of the television comedy, but by Father John Humphries.

Apart from the odd growl, bark or miaow, the animals behaved themselves and some scuttled around under the chairs on leads.

After prayers and readings, Father Humphries went round the church placing his hands on the heads of the animals and blessing them and their owners as an organ was played.

To each pet, he said: “May you be blessed in the name of God who created you, and may you (the companion) enjoy life together with our God.”

A horse from a nearby farm was blessed outside in the churchyard and Rogerstone-based Greyhound Welfare brought four dogs along.

Greyhound Ebony, eight, ran 156 races during her two-year racing career and, like many of the other dogs cared for and re-housed by the charity, has had a physically-demanding life so her blessing was particularly poignant.

Barbara Gardener from Newbridge, who volunteers for the charity, said: “The service was quite lovely.”

A raffle was held afterwards in which the owners won toys and treats for their animals, including cuddly mice, biscuits and balls.

It was the fifth year running the church had held the event but the first for Father Humphries, who joined the church three months ago, and it marked the feast day of St Francis.

He has been involved in similar services before, including a blessing ceremony in New York in which people brought large lizards.

Father Humphries said: “It’s an appreciation of the companionship of animals.”