look book

The Look Book Goes to an Animal Blessing

At the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, pet owners brought their animals for an annual ceremony.

Photo: DeSean McClinton-Holland
Photo: DeSean McClinton-Holland

Insu Kim and IB (pictured above)
Industrial designer, Upper East Side.

What does IB stand for?
Insu’s Bird. It’s something easy for him to say.

He can say it?
Oh yes. He’s like a Pokémonster. Like how Pikachu says, “Pikachu”? He says “IB.” When he’s needy-greedy, looking for something, he says, “IB! IB!”

Why did you get him?
During COVID, I was afraid of going outside, and I found a virtual Bible-study group at this church. I studied Genesis, where it talks about God’s creations being fruitful and multiplying through the earth, through the plants, fish, birds, and all the living creatures. I was always hesitant to actually own a bird, but this felt like God’s message to go through with it. I wanted an apartment-friendly bird because it’s New York. This breed — the white-capped pionus — is very difficult to find. But it’s hypoallergenic, beautiful, and quiet. I eventually found one that had just hatched in Virginia and went there to pick him up. Now I take him everywhere, even to the office. He just sits on my shoulder like a couch potato.

Faith Williams and Ella 

Pediatrician, Upper West Side

Anthony Levy and Trixie 

Data analyst, Greenwood Heights


What brought you to the ceremony?

My wife used to attend school at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and it was a part of her childhood to go to that ceremony. Plus my dog is rather mischievous; she’s very drawn to trouble. So any divine help I can get in ensuring her safety is much appreciated.

Lila Menard and Babka

Graduate student, Lenox Hill

Hope Chang and Lazarus 

Photographer, Harlem

Paulina Concha and Felipe

Water researcher, Harlem


Is your cat on a leash?

Yes. It took a while to get him comfortable, but now he’s just a part of the morning dog gang in Morningside Park. Some dogs hate him, some dogs love him. And the feeling is mutual.

Jennifer Jimenez and Max B

Jewelry designer, Hell’s Kitchen

Christina Hansen and King

Carriage driver, Hell’s Kitchen

Jeanette Velez and Tommy

Retired construction worker, Co-op City

Irene Silverblatt and McJagger

Retired professor, Upper West Side


Is this your first animal blessing?

We’ve done it before in Durham, where we used to live. Since we’ve moved to New York, McJagger’s eyes have been opened to the world. He saw doggy diversity that he’d never seen before. Down in Durham, it’s mostly big dogs, and this expanded his cultural experience. There is so much pee-mail to be had around here, as in when dogs piss on top of where someone else pissed.

Laura Brose and Lilly C, a.k.a. “Bitey Whitey” 

Caregiver, West Brighton

Susanna Mitton and Hanukkah

Producer, Upper West Side


Who’s in there?

Well, my husband is a magician. And in 1991, some artist friends of ours asked him to conduct their wedding. He bought two doves at a pet store to do a trick where the wedding rings come out of an egg. Mark was going to return them to the pet store, but we liked having them. This little guy is the only one of their children we kept. At some point, we started taking all the birds to the services. They seem to like it.

Ethiopis Ghebremicael and Dess

Retired accountant, Upper East Side

Daniel Villaronga and Amp

Electrician, Upper West Side

Ava Florio and Crystal

Sixth-grader, Whitestone


Was she the only turtle?

Yes, and I could tell all the dogs were looking at her. She really liked all the attention. Every time I put her down, she started walking really fast. She does that at the park, too, when she sees flowers she wants to eat.

Michelle Katz and Louis and Elmer Katz

Publicist, Manhattan Valley

Silke Sahl and Luna

Librarian, Morningside Heights

Maura Lynch and Blondie

Photographer, Hell’s Kitchen


How did it go?

Well, okay. During the blessing, Blondie was barking so much at the priest that he had to do the blessing from a distance.

Riley Hughes and Simba

Graduate student, Financial District

Photographs by DeSean McClinton-Holland
Faith Williams and Ella   Pediatrician, Upper West Side
Anthony Levy and Trixie   Data analyst, Greenwood Heights    What brought you to the ceremony?  My wife used to attend school at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and it was a part of her childhood to go to that ceremony. Plus my dog is rather mischievous; she’s very drawn to trouble. So any divine help I can get in ensuring her safety is much appreciated.
Lila Menard and Babka Graduate student, Lenox Hill
Hope Chang and Lazarus Photographer, Harlem
Paulina Concha and Felipe  Water researcher, Harlem    Is your cat on a leash?  Yes. It took a while to get him comfortable, but now he’s just a part of the morning dog gang in Morningside Park. Some dogs hate him, some dogs love him. And the feeling is mutual.
Jennifer Jimenez and Max B  Jewelry designer, Hell’s Kitchen
Christina Hansen and King, Carriage driver, Hell’s Kitchen
Jeanette Velez and Tommy  Retired construction worker, Co-op City
Irene Silverblatt and McJagger, Retired professor, Upper West Side Is this your first animal blessing? We’ve done it before in Durham, where we used to live. Since we’ve moved to New York, McJagger’s eyes have been opened to the world. He saw doggy diversity that he’d never seen before. Down in Durham, it’s mostly big dogs, and this expanded his cultural experience. There is so much pee-mail to be had around here, as in when dogs piss on top of where someone else pissed.
Laura Brose and Lilly C, a.k.a. “Bitey Whitey,” Caregiver, West Brighton
Susanna Mitton and Hanukkah  Producer, Upper West Side    Who’s in there?  Well, my husband is a magician. And in 1991, some artist friends of ours asked him to conduct their wedding. He bought two doves at a pet store to do a trick where the wedding rings come out of an egg. Mark was going to return them to the pet store, but we liked having them. This little guy is the only one of their children we kept. At some point, we started taking all the birds to the services. They seem to like it.
Ethiopis Ghebremicael and Dess, Retired accountant, Upper East Side
Daniel Villaronga and Amp, Electrician, Upper West Side
William C. Francis Building superintendent, Throgs Neck Was she the only turtle? Yes, and I could tell all the dogs were looking at her. She really liked all the attention. Every time I put her down, she started walking really fast. She does that at the park, too, when she sees flowers she wants to eat.
Michelle Katz and Louis and Elmer Katz, Publicist, Manhattan Valley
Silke Sahl and Luna, Librarian, Morningside Heights
Maura Lynch and Blondie  Photographer, Hell’s Kitchen    How did it go?  Well, okay. During the blessing, Blondie was barking so much at the priest that he had to do the blessing from a distance.
Riley Hughes and Simba, Graduate student, Financial District

Faith Williams and Ella 

Pediatrician, Upper West Side

Anthony Levy and Trixie 

Data analyst, Greenwood Heights


What brought you to the ceremony?

My wife used to attend school at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and it was a part of her childhood to go to that ceremony. Plus my dog is rather mischievous; she’s very drawn to trouble. So any divine help I can get in ensuring her safety is much appreciated.

Lila Menard and Babka

Graduate student, Lenox Hill

Hope Chang and Lazarus 

Photographer, Harlem

Paulina Concha and Felipe

Water researcher, Harlem


Is your cat on a leash?

Yes. It took a while to get him comfortable, but now he’s just a part of the morning dog gang in Morningside Park. Some dogs hate him, some dogs love him. And the feeling is mutual.

Jennifer Jimenez and Max B

Jewelry designer, Hell’s Kitchen

Christina Hansen and King

Carriage driver, Hell’s Kitchen

Jeanette Velez and Tommy

Retired construction worker, Co-op City

Irene Silverblatt and McJagger

Retired professor, Upper West Side


Is this your first animal blessing?

We’ve done it before in Durham, where we used to live. Since we’ve moved to New York, McJagger’s eyes have been opened to the world. He saw doggy diversity that he’d never seen before. Down in Durham, it’s mostly big dogs, and this expanded his cultural experience. There is so much pee-mail to be had around here, as in when dogs piss on top of where someone else pissed.

Laura Brose and Lilly C, a.k.a. “Bitey Whitey” 

Caregiver, West Brighton

Susanna Mitton and Hanukkah

Producer, Upper West Side


Who’s in there?

Well, my husband is a magician. And in 1991, some artist friends of ours asked him to conduct their wedding. He bought two doves at a pet store to do a trick where the wedding rings come out of an egg. Mark was going to return them to the pet store, but we liked having them. This little guy is the only one of their children we kept. At some point, we started taking all the birds to the services. They seem to like it.

Ethiopis Ghebremicael and Dess

Retired accountant, Upper East Side

Daniel Villaronga and Amp

Electrician, Upper West Side

Ava Florio and Crystal

Sixth-grader, Whitestone


Was she the only turtle?

Yes, and I could tell all the dogs were looking at her. She really liked all the attention. Every time I put her down, she started walking really fast. She does that at the park, too, when she sees flowers she wants to eat.

Michelle Katz and Louis and Elmer Katz

Publicist, Manhattan Valley

Silke Sahl and Luna

Librarian, Morningside Heights

Maura Lynch and Blondie

Photographer, Hell’s Kitchen


How did it go?

Well, okay. During the blessing, Blondie was barking so much at the priest that he had to do the blessing from a distance.

Riley Hughes and Simba

Graduate student, Financial District

Photographs by DeSean McClinton-Holland

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