A Lahti pastor is preparing to bless animals in a special church ceremony this Sunday, repeating a controversial event that drew both support and formal complaints five years ago. Pastor Nina Tetri-Mustonen of Central Lahti Parish will welcome all creatures to the Ristinkirkko churchyard for the blessing service.
The ceremony will recognize not just household pets but all animals, from birds in the churchyard trees to farm animals, worms, and even spiders. The pastor admits she fears spiders intensely but believes all creatures deserve recognition. The event will also memorialize deceased pets and animals that have suffered mistreatment from humans.
People grieving lost pets are welcome to attend and light candles for their departed companions. The service will include singing portions of hymn 461, which praises all of God's creation including birds, fish, and whales.
This will be the second time Tetri-Mustonen has organized such a blessing in Finland. The previous event in December 2019 attracted numerous participants, including two horses alongside more traditional cats and dogs. The pastor describes animal blessings as among her most meaningful work responsibilities.
Not everyone welcomed the previous animal blessing. One particularly angry individual filed a formal complaint with the bishop, though no disciplinary action resulted. Tetri-Mustonen acknowledges someone might complain again but says church leadership can handle any criticism.
The pastor bases her animal ministry on biblical interpretation. She notes that everything God created is good, and animals are part of that creation. Multiple Bible passages encourage blessing, which she interprets as extending to animals.
Tetri-Mustonen emphasizes that human-animal relationships involve at least two parties. She sees similarities between humans' need for connection and the social nature of pack animals like dogs and horses.
The blessing was originally scheduled for October 4th, the memorial day of St. Francis of Assisi. The 13th-century Italian monk is known as the patron saint of animals and ecology, and his death date coincides with World Animal Day. The event was rescheduled due to a church organ tuning conflict.
Some opposition to animal blessings may stem from St. Francis's Catholic associations or fears of paganism. Tetri-Mustonen suggests others might worry about elevating animals to inappropriate religious status, though she sees this as missing creation's inherent value.
Generational differences appear in reactions to animal blessings. The pastor notes that people under thirty generally approve of animal-related activities, while older congregants may be more skeptical.
Tetri-Mustonen developed her appreciation for animal blessings during a ten-year ministry stint in the United States, where bringing animals to church was more common and natural. She brought the concept back to Finland, expanding it beyond pets to include all creation.
Her own dog, Musti, will be among the animals blessed on Sunday. The six-year-old labradoodle moved with the family from the United States to Finland a year ago. The pastor looks forward to blessing her own pet alongside others.
Tetri-Mustonen hopes animal blessings will become an annual tradition in her parish. She believes recognizing animals' importance in our lives through religious ceremony has profound value for both people and the creatures they cherish.
Animal blessings represent an interesting development in Nordic Lutheran practice, where traditional worship sometimes struggles to connect with younger generations. Such ceremonies bridge spiritual practice with contemporary concerns about animal welfare and environmental stewardship. They also highlight ongoing tensions between traditional and expanding interpretations of religious practice in increasingly secular Nordic societies.