2025 Feast of St. Francis celebrations

Date Published: September 22, 2025

The feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, founder of the Order of Friars Minor, is upon us! Here is an overview of events for the St. Francis feast day (Oct. 4) at Franciscan churches, including the Transitus (the celebration of Francis' transition from earth to heavenly life on Oct. 3), the feast day Mass and the blessing of the animals. 

Connecticut 

St. Patrick-St. Anthony Catholic Church
285 Church St, Hartford, CT 06103 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. 

Florida 

Sacred Heart Catholic Church
509 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33602 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: 5:30 p.m. 

Georgia 

Holy Spirit Catholic Church
4074 Chambers Road, Macon, GA 31206 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 

St. Peter Claver Church 
131 Ward St Macon, GA, United States, Georgia 31204 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 from 9 to 10 a.m. 
Feast Day Mass: Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. 

Illinois 

St. Peter’s in the Loop
110 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60602 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: Oct. 4 at 5 p.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 5 at 12:30 p.m.
Franciscan Festival: a celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Franciscans’ arrival to St. Peter’s Church 

  • Sept. 29 at 12:15 p.m. – Storytelling about friars who have served at St. Peter’s 

  • Sept. 30 at 12:15 p.m. – The Canticle of Creatures of St. Francis, presented by Br. Gilberto Cavazos-González, OFM, STD 

  • Oct. 1 at 12:15 p.m. – Concert: A Serenade by Strings 

  • Oct. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Treasures of St. Peter’s – Franciscan beauty in our liturgical vessels and sacred art 

  • Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. – Concert for Creation 

St. Isidore Catholic Church
19812 E. 1000th Ave., Dieterich, IL 62424 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at noon 

St. John the Baptist Church
404 N. Hickory St., Joliet, IL 60435 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: at 6 p.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Indiana

Holy Family Church
3027 Pearl St., Oldenburg, IN 47036
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 2014 Springdale Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45231 
Feast Day Mass and Pet Blessing: at 9 a.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., during the parish festival 

Massachusetts

St. Anthony Shrine
100 Arch St., Boston, MA 02110
Blessing of the Animals: 2 to 3:45 p.m. in Downtown Crossing, on Summer Street in front of Macy's 

Michigan 

Church of the Transfiguration
25225 Code Rd, Southfield, MI 48033 
Pet blessing: Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. 

Missouri 

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church
3140 Meramec St., St. Louis, MO 63118 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7p.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 5 at noon 

New Jersey 

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church 
65 Bartholdi Ave, Butler, NJ 07405 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: Oct. 4 at 11 a.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. 

St. Francis of Assisi Church
4700 Long Beach Blvd, Long Beach, NJ 08008 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. 

St. Mary Catholic Church
17 Pompton Ave, Pompton Lakes, NJ 07442 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 
Feast Day Celebrations: Oct. 4 from 4 to 7 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: Oct. 4 at 5 p.m.  
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. 
Mass and reflection on St. Francis: Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. (This activity will take place in Spanish) 

North Carolina 

Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
901-A W Chapel Hill St., Durham, NC 27701 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. 
Feast Day Mass: Oct. 4 at 8:15 a.m. 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at 10:30 a.m. 

Ohio 

St. Francis Seraph Church
1615 Vine St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at Corpus Christi Church, 2014 Springdale Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45231 
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 5 after the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Francis Seraph Church 

Texas 

Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine
1321 El Paso Street, San Antonio, TX 78207 
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. with the Franciscan Family, followed by a reception in the parish hall 

Virginia 

St. Francis of Assisi Church
18825 Fuller Heights Rd, Triangle, VA, United States, Virginia
Transitus: Oct. 3 at 7 p.m.
Blessing of the Animals: Oct. 4 at 10 a.m.
St. Francis Festival: Oct. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Feast Day Mass: 5:30 p.m.

Wisconsin 

Assumption BVM Parish 
125 E Pulaski St, Pulaski, WI 54162 
Blessing of the Animals and Dirt for Gardens: Sept. 27 at 10:30 a.m.