Bless the BeastsWith all the traveling that Douglas and Ombretta planned to do, they decided it would be best to leave their cats back home in Los Angeles... but Ombretta has started missing them. So, she became a
gattara, one of the people who feeds the stray cats in their town in Italy.
Douglas: The other day, an old farmer told me about a saint who he claims protects animals. Each year they even celebrate him with the Festa di Sant'Antonio.
Ombretta: We had to go. Originally, the Festa was to bless and protect farmers' animals from disease.
Douglas: Today, farmers still bring their livestock: everything from sheep and goats to roosters chickens, cows and horses.
Ombretta: And townspeople have even begun bringing their pets from home. You see a lot of dogs and cats, rabbits, guinea pigs. One lady even brought two white doves.
Douglas: I saw a crowd of people and in the middle was... a piglet.
Ombretta: Piccolino! A farmer had brought the sweetest little pig. They even put a red ribbon on his back. Oh, I wish my cats could be here!
Douglas: What Ombretta didn't know was that I brought a little something along with us. When the Mass ended the Priest came out of the Church to bless the animals...
Ombretta: I couldn't believe it! Douglas brought a picture of my cats! He even blessed my cats!
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