▲A horse, an Indian python, and sheep wait outside a church in Manila for their turn to receive the priest's blessing on the day of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

▲

Humans and animals have shared a special relationship for as long as history has been recorded. The Roman Catholic Church has different patron saints in honor of animals, most notably St. Francis of Assisi and St. Anton, but other cultures, including Buddhist ones, also celebrate animal blessing traditions. So it is unsurprising that some of these animal ceremonies have been celebrated year in and year out since the Middle Ages.

Browse the gallery for adorable photos of animals of all kinds participating in these ceremonies around the world.

▲A father and a pastor join in a ceremony to bless dolphins in an amusement park in Lipperswil.

▲An Australian priest sprinkles holy water on a Burmese python and parrot in Manila on October 4, the day of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the Catholic Church's patron saint of animals and the environment.

▲

Children stroke a 1-month-old tiger cub in front of a Catholic church in Manila ahead of a blessing ceremony to commemorate World Animal Day on October 4, the feast day of Francis of Assisi.

▲Dogs join the faithful during a blessing ceremony for animals at the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Saint-Hubert, a city named after the country's patron saint of hunters who is also invoked for protection of dogs and horses.

▲Animal owners from around the country bring their pets each year to be blessed in Madrid on January 17, the day of Saint Anthony, Spain's patron saint of animals.

▲Every year, riders who participate in the traditional Palio di Siena horse race bring their animals to a blessing ceremony ahead of the famous competition.

▲A Belgian priest blesses bloodhounds during a ceremony for animals outside the Basilica of St. Peter and Paul in Saint-Hubert, a city named after the country's patron saint of hunters, who is also the protector of dogs and horses.

▲A woman and her cat remain inside the San Anton Church in Madrid where a mass was held to bless pets in honor of the country's patron saint of animals.

▲Horacio, the dog, is blessed by a Franciscan monk during a ceremony to inaugurate Latin America's first pet crematorium.

▲A priest blesses a parrot during a traditional animal blessing ceremony in Madrid's San Anton Church on January 17, the day of St. Anton, Spain's patron saint of animals.

▲Police dogs participate in a blessing ceremony that acknowledges dogs' contributions to Nepali society as part of the Tihar festival in Kathmandu on November 14.

▲A monk blesses elephants on the country's National Elephant Day in the ancient capital Ayutthaya in celebration of Thailand's national animal.

▲A Franciscan friar blesses parrots and dogs, among other animals, in Mexico City on January 17, the feast day of St. Anton, the patron saint of domestic animals.

▲A child holds his turtle as it receives blessings from a priest outside the San Pablo Catholic church in Iztapalapa on the feast day of St. Anton.

▲It was this little boy's cat's turn to receive blessings from a priest outside the San Pablo Catholic church in Iztapalapa on the feast day of the patron saint of domestic animals.

▲A priest blesses a turtle outside San Anton Church in Madrid in celebration of Spain's patron saint for animals.

▲

A priest blesses animals inside a Roman Catholic church in Manila in celebration of World Animal Day.

▲Topito, the ferret, is blessed at Madrid's San Anton Church on January 17.

▲Owner and kitty take part in the "Blessing of the Animals" ceremony at the Christ Church United Methodist in Manhattan, New York, on December 7.

▲A Buddhist monk blesses elephants ahead of the opening ceremony of the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Samut Prakan province.

▲Owners celebrate the blessing of their pet in Lima during a ceremony to commemorate the feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

▲A puppy participates in its very first blessing ceremony at San Anton Church in Churriana, near Málaga.

▲Owners and their recently blessed pets pose for photos in front of St. Anton, the country's patron saint of animals.

▲

A priest blesses a herd of sheep during a traditional ceremony in the village of Muro, in Mallorca.

▲This doggy faced the cold weather to be blessed in Madrid on January 17, the day of Saint Anthony.

▲Dogs are blessed with holy water outside the San Pablo Catholic Church.

▲

This dog is thrilled to take part in a mass at San Anton Church in Madrid where it was blessed in honor of Spain's patron saint of animals.

▲A pet turtle is sprinkled with holy water during the feast of St. Francis of Assisi in Lima.

▲A priest blesses a calf outside the San Pablo Catholic Church in Iztapalapa during a ceremony commemorating the Feast of St. Anton.

▲A priest sprinkles holy water to bless butterflies during the celebration of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi in the Malabon Zoo in Malabon, Metro Manila.

▲A priest blesses a bird sitting on his owner's shoulder during a traditional ceremony in the Spanish Balearic Island of Mallorca.

▲A priest blesses a cat during a traditional ceremony in the Spanish Balearic Island of Mallorca, though the cat might not be aware that it's a good thing.

▲Being blessed is hard work! These animals and their owners take part in a mass to honor the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi in Nice.

▲A Buddhist monk blesses elephants ahead of the opening parade of the 10th annual King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Hua Hin.

▲An Australian priest blesses a pair of dogs as others line up behind at a Manila church during a ceremony in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

▲This dog and its owner look cozy and comfortable during a blessing ceremony at San Anton Church in Madrid.

▲A deacon blesses a guinea pig as its young owner holds it in the Holy Heart church in Schiedam during a ceremony in celebration of St. Francis of Assisi.

▲A priest blesses an older dog outside of San Anton Church in Churriana near Málaga.

▲A man takes his cows, decorated with flowers and colored paper, to an animal blessing ceremony in Tixtla in honor of St. Isidore the Laborer, the patron saint of farmers and rural communities.

▲A priest blesses a cocker spaniel named Liuna at Madrid's San Anton Church for a ceremony in honor of Spain's patron saint of animals. Liuna and her owner attend every year.

▲Pets and their humans wait in line to buy blessed bread outside San Anton Church as part of blessing ceremony in honor of Spain's patron saint of animals.

▲These owners proudly offer their bunnies to be blessed by a priest in Manila during a ceremony in celebration of the patron saint of animals and the environment.

▲The dachshund looks more interested in the camera below than the holy water it's being blessed with during a ceremony to commemorate the Feast of St. Anton in Mexico City.

▲This pug is nice and comfortable in its owner's arms in a Nice church during a ceremony in honor of the patron saint of animals and the environment.

▲A skeptical ferret is sprinkled with holy water in Nice during a ceremony in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment.

▲This one-month-old pot-bellied pig receives its first blessing in Manila during a ceremony in celebration of St. Francis of Assisi.

▲This cat remains unamused as the priest blesses it with holy water during an animal blessing ceremony to commemorate the Feast of St. Anton in Mexico City.

▲

Dogs and a parrot stand next to one another to be blessed by a friar in Mexico City in honor of St. Anton, the country's patron saint of animals.

▲The bird looks interested in the holy water it's being sprinkled with during a ceremony in Mallorca in honor of St. Anton, the Spanish patron saint of animals.

▲A puppy is blessed during a ceremony in Mallorca in honor of the Spanish patron saint of animals.

▲A dog owner and her pet wait to get blessed at Madrid's San Anton Church during a ceremony in honor of St. Anton.

▲

A woman holds her dog as a priest blesses it during a traditional ceremony in Madrid that dates back to the 13th century.

▲A priest blesses sheep in the village of St. Amaro in the southern Portuguese province of Alentejo during one of the country's worst droughts in 25 years.

▲Not all animals appreciate being sprinkled with water, holy or not. This took part in the St. Anton's festivities in Palma de Mallorca.

▲Yet another example of dogs protesting the sprinkling of holy water, this time during a celebration in Lima in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.