This year the liturgical feast of St Francis of Assisi fell on Saturday the 4th of October. Patri Mattew Sultana School, Xaghra, celebrated the day with their pets at school last Thursday.

As part of Animal Awareness Day, an exhibition of paintings and posters raised by the schoolchildren was held in the School's foyer. In them the children expressed their thoughts on animal welfare and showed their love for animals. In the afternoon, parents brought the children's pets to school and handed them over to the pupils. There was a vast range of pets, from the bigger ones the dogs and the cats to the smaller ones tortoises and birds. School Assitant Head Ms Mary Anne Zammit introduced the ceremony.

The Spiritual Director, Canon Anthony Refalo, briefly touched on the life of St Francis and his love for animals and the environment. A statue of the Saint was for the first time exhibited. This was kindly lent for the occassion by the Franciscan Sisters of the Heart of Jesus of Xaghra. Canon Refalo then recited prayers, blessed the children and went round sprinkling holy water on the pets.