Cathedral celebrates loyal friends
The loving relationship between people and their animals is celebrated at a lively cathedral service during the festive season
it is a grey December day in Truro, the county town of Cornwall. Seasonal winter chill pervades this elegant city, but, at its very core, inside the glorious cathedral, a truly heart-warming event is taking place. Beneath the soaring splendour of this softly lit and gracious building, a scene is unfolding that is not usually associated with such an ecclesiastical setting. Along the aisles, and filling rank upon rank of chairs, hundreds of people, dogs and other animals are assembling. There is an excited buzz of conversation and a growing frenzy of barking. Yet, despite the vast numbers, there is harmony, a sense of expectation and festivity.
This is Truro Cathedral’s annual pet carol service, a well-established and keenly-awaited occasion in the calendar.
Truro first hosted such a service in 1963, the brainchild of
the then Dean, Henry Lloyd. There is still a lady in Truro who remembers the first service, but, at the age of 101, she is unfortunately no longer able to worship at the cathedral. The service has grown immensely in popularity, and now, each year, some 600 dogs, together with a few cautious cats, guinea pigs, an occasional hen and other small creatures, bring their guardians along to celebrate all that is good about the bond between humans and animals.
With an hour to go before the start, people are already arriving. Dogs of all shapes and sizes, many dressed in festive doggy-jumpers, lead their owners up the cathedral steps and in through the main doors.
Inside, Canon Alan Bashforth watches the arrivals. His own collie, Bounce, will not be attending this year. At 14 years old, the hard floor plays havoc with his arthritis, but Bounce is very much present in spirit, as Canon Bashforth places a toy collie on the lectern to represent him.
“The teaching of St Francis played a part in the establishment of pet services, promoting the love of all God’s creatures,” he explains. “However, much of the Christian faith down the centuries was centred on the salvation of human beings. Nowadays, I feel there is a greater sense of caring for the Earth.
“In Genesis, the Bible talks of humans having dominion over animals, and that often sounds a bit like domination. But dominion is really about responsibility.
“Because Christmas focuses on a child and God’s unconditional love for the world, it is also a good time to recognise the unconditional and forgiving love that we receive from our pets. Often, for those who don’t see many people at Christmas, that love is very important. Without our pets, a very great deal would be missing from our lives.”
Goodwill to all
Although occasional dogs may accompany their owners to cathedral services throughout the year, the logistics of hosting hundreds of animals all at once could be fraught with challenges. Despite a few puddles along the aisle, Canon Bashforth takes it all in his stride.
“We work through an order of service, although there is no real expectation of order,” he says. “One of the things I really love is that here, in the cathedral, a lot of our life is quite disciplined and our services regimented, but we’re not in control of this one. It feels a bit like rodeo riding: you get on board at the start and hope you’re still there at the end.”
The sense of goodwill among the remarkably varied congregants is palpable. With half an hour still to go, the
“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions; they pass no criticisms” George Eliot, Mr Gilfil’s Love Story
cathedral is awash with people and animals, all seemingly getting along very well. An eye-catching black and white cat, Patch, relaxes on the lap of her owner, Jess Fox, quite unfazed by the commotion as she looks around in superior fashion.
Many of those attending the service have been doing so for several years. Peter Wicks is here for the fourth time, with Jan, his flat-coated retriever.
“I think it’s tremendous; a great atmosphere, and the Canon does it so well, even though it’s pandemonium. I think it’s terribly important that the church is seen to not just have serious services. And it’s also important to reach out to people who may not go to church very often and when they come to this, see something they wouldn’t normally associate with church.”
People attend from all over Cornwall, and along the aisle is Bess, a Canine Assistance Therapy dog from St Austell.
“Bess works particularly with elderly people who have dementia or young people with autism,” says her owner, Amanda Garner. “She carries out specific activities, tailored to individual needs, such as visiting people who have had a stroke, helping them to get moving again by playing ball games, and so on. As far as she’s concerned, it’s all play. Autistic children will spontaneously interact with her, suddenly calling her name. It’s like flicking a switch.”
Dressed for the occasion
Suddenly, heads turn as a beautiful three-legged greyhound hops through the doors sporting a very festive jacket. This is Orea, who, together with Molly, has been rescued by Pete English. He is the treasurer of the Greyhound Trust, Cornwall branch, a charity which finds loving homes for ex-racing greyhounds.
“Orea lost a leg as a puppy and manages very well indeed. She doesn’t worry at all about it,” explains Pete. “She came from Ireland, where, because of her injury, she would never have been able to race. She ended up in a home for unwanted greyhounds for a year before coming to us. Molly is an ex-racing greyhound. They are both cat-friendly, but we didn’t bring our cat, as he isn’t friendly to anyone else.”
Orea is one of many dogs kitted out for the service. Brian is
a 12-year-old brown and white spaniel, attending the cathedral event for a second year. His owner, Heidi Harvey, has helped him into a fetching red and white striped jumper. Billy-Bob, a delightfully hairy Jack Russell, has risen to the occasion with a sparkling butterfly brooch attached to his collar. Billy-Bob has recently come to live with his new owner, Janet Penfold, having been adopted from the RSPCA.
“I think he’s about six,” says Janet. “I’ve had him almost a year, and he’s settled really well, and is great with children, but he’s extremely nosy. I’ve been coming to this service for years, with my previous dog. Some children even bring their soft toys. I like this service because it includes the animals. To me, that’s what it’s all about: everything needs to be included, and it’s so nice to be able to bring a dog with you.”
All animals welcome
Although dogs make up the majority of the congregation, other species are represented too.
Near the back of the cathedral, Trixie Cartwright sits comfortably in her basket. She has just had her photo taken with Canon Bashforth. “She laid us an egg on Christmas Day, so she deserves to be here, and I think she’s having a great time,” says Vicky, her rescuer. “This is her second chance at life, as she came from the British Hen Welfare Trust.”
This national charity has re-homed 750,000 ex-commercial hens when they have finished their ‘working’ life at just over a year old, giving them a chance to live free-range as people’s pets.
“We live on a small farm, and having chickens and other animals is great for children; teaching them to value and look after them,” she adds. “I love this service because it’s so crazy, and it’s great to be around people who all love animals. Animals make such a massive difference to our lives.”
Not far from Trixie, a whole row of seats is taken up by the Lean family and their three guinea pigs. Vikki Lean is very enthusiastic about the occasion.
“We’ve been coming to this service for 11 years, since my eldest daughter was two,” she says. We always bring guinea pigs and sometimes stick insects. It’s just so lovely and relaxed, and shows that Christmas is not just about presents.”
Not everyone in the congregation is accompanied by a pet, however. One family, whose dog has recently died, has brought a toy dog as a way of remembering their lost loved one.
Alice James attends because she loves the service. “I’ve been coming here for six years, as I enjoy it so much,” she says. “I used to have cats, but I never brought them, although the first time, I had a photo of my cat Tigger with me. It’s a kind of memorial.”
Eventually, above all the noise, Canon Bashforth begins the service with the aid of a microphone, welcoming everyone and bidding the congregants to “sit”.
The humans hush; the dogs do not, but he is not deterred. The cacophony is so immense that the printed order of service is extremely useful, as it is hard to hear what he has to say.
Hymns and prayers proceed, the dogs valiantly accompanying the organ and, at times, drowning it out. There is vocal mayhem throughout In the Bleak Midwinter and much
throaty growling during The Lord’s Prayer. But Canon Bashforth presses on, clearly relishing every moment of the service as much as his congregation does.
The blessing
Half an hour after the start, he reaches what, for many, is the high point. Several people have already prepared for this moment, dressing in assorted Nativity attire. This small group walks up one of the side aisles to the west end of the nave from which they head down the main aisle towards the opposite end, accompanied by the strains of Away in a Manger.
As they progress, everyone from the body of the building gradually leaves their seats as the Nativity group passes, joining the growing throng that is slowly making its way towards Canon Bashforth. He stands between four huge candles at the high altar, waiting and watching as many hundreds of people and pets slowly make their way to the altar for his blessing.
Beneath magnificent vaulting, the tiniest dogs are cuddled; bright eyes peeping over their owners’ shoulders. Others stand among the human legs, and astonishingly, when Canon Bashforth asks for a pause for quiet reflection, peace reigns. It is an extraordinary moment.
And then, this vibrant and wonderfully inclusive service is over for another year. To energetic organ music, pets and people retrace their steps down the aisles, thanking him as he waits at the exit to bid everyone farewell. Outside, the late December
“Where through the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault The pealing anthem swells the note of praise” Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
afternoon feels decidedly chilly, but the warmth and joy from within the cathedral cloaks the departing worshippers. There is something truly uplifting about this celebration of the animal kingdom at this cold, dark time of year. ContaCt The 2019 Truro Cathedral Carol Service for Pets takes place on Saturday, 28 December. More information is available at trurocathedral.org.uk