People of all ages gathered enthusiastically alongside their pets in front of the church of St Mark in Rabat yesterday to keep an old tradition alive.

Due to the inclement weather yesterday, some of the blessings were held inside the church.

The church yesterday celebrated the feast of St Anthony the Abbott, one of the greatest of the so-called ‘desert fathers’, who is also the patron saint of animals.

The locality marked the day with Mass, followed by a procession with the statue of St Anthony and accompanied by the L’Isle Adam band. Celebrations, held under threatening clouds, came to an end with the blessing of the animals, some held inside the church.

The tradition owes its origins to when the Grand Master of the Order of St John used to send his horses to be blessed in the square in front of the same church on St Anthony’s feast day.

Nowadays, people bring all kinds of pets – from the most common ones such as cats, dogs, rabbits and birds to the more unusual ones, including reptiles.

The horses of the Police Cavalry are also blessed on this occasion.

The church of St Mark belongs to the Augustine friars and is one of the oldest convent churches in Rabat.

Plans for the church were drawn up by Girolomo Cassar, the architect of Valletta. In fact, it can be considered to be a prototype of St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta. The priory is attributed to Andrea Belli and has a striking resemblance to the Auberge de Castille.

The church and convent were completed in 1588.