The National Cathedral’s 2010 Blessing of the Animals escaped the threat of rain Sunday afternoon, garnering a large crowd of local pet owners and their charges. The ceremony officially welcomed Carmina (pictured above), the new Cathedral cat adopted from the Washington Humane Society (WHS) by the Cathedral Choral Society.

After the service, a half-dozen Cathedral clergy diligently administered individual blessings on dogs, cats, birds, fish and even guinea pigs. While the humans were universally delighted by the blessings, pet reactions to being sprinkled with water ranged from curiosity to bemusement to outright disdain and occasional dread.