Religion

There are a number of legends surrounding the Easter Bunny and how it became part of the celebration of Easter. The origin of the Easter bunny is supposed to have begun in pre-Christian Germany in the 1300s. People there worshiped gods and goddesses, one of which was Eastre, goddess of spring and fertility. Celebrations were […]

According to Judaism, God is blessed for creating and preserving animals, ecosystems, and human beings. “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.…On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate…All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your faithful shall bless you….Happy […]

Legend tells us that Buddha called all the animals to his side before he left the Earth. Only 12 animals responded and came to say goodby. Buddha rewarded these 12 by naming a year after each one in the order of their arrival. The Chinese belief is that the animal in the year of a […]

According to all the world’s major religions, animals are an important part of creation. What does each religion say about the relationship between man and animal? Contents 1 Pets in Christianity 2 Pets in Judaism 3 Pets in Islam 4 More articles on pets in religion Pets in Christianity In 1824, William Wilberforce founded the […]

C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) was a prolific writer, poet, scholar of English literature and defender of Christianity. His most famous book is The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first published of his Chronicles of Narnia series. The Narnia books include many animals, some of them talking, as well as mythical creatures such as unicorns […]

In Judaism, the Torah forbids eating certain foods during Passover. Any foods containing chametz are not to be eaten or owned by a Jew. Chametz is any product made from one of 5 types of grain – wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oats. In order to be considered chametz, the product must be combined with […]

So you’re Jewish and you have pets. What do you need to know: Contents 1 Feeding animals before you eat 2 Cruelty to animals 3 Mating animals of different species 4 Tying 2 animals of different species together 5 Animals on Shabbat and Jewish festivals 6 Other animal related Jewish trivia 7 Firstborn Kosher Animals […]

Can you take your pooch to church or synagogue? A growing number of religious institutions are starting to include pets in their services. For instance, St. Francis Episcopal Church in Stamford, Connecticut has a special service which includes pets. The service is geared to those whose pets are a central part of their lives, and […]

The Groundhog is the only mammal to have a day named for him. Groundhog Day falls on February 2nd, each year. The Pennsylvania Dutch introduced the tradition to the U.S. in the 18th century. Originally, these early German immigrants had celebrated Candlemas in Germany with the badger, but transferred the honor to the Groundhog. Candlemas […]

St. Francis of Assisi was a Catholic preacher who lived from 1181 or 1182 until 1126. He formed the order called the Franciscans. He is considered the patron saint of animals and the environment, and the Catholic and Anglican churches hold ceremonies blessing the animals on his feast day, October 4. This date was chosen […]