Hundreds of people and their pets attended the blessing of the animals by Archbishop of Los Angeles José Gomez on Holy Saturday on Olvera Street.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Archbishop of Los Angeles José Gomez celebrated Holy Saturday with a blessing of the animals on Olvera Street. The blessing has been a tradition on Olvera Street since its founding in 1930, when priests would bless cows, horses and goats at La Placita Church “to help ensure health, fecundity and productivity.” The line for animal blessings began at 1 p.m. in front of Pico House on Main Street.
Ray Garcia of East Los Angeles brings Wicket for a blessing by Archbishop José Gomez.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Joshua Cueto waits for Peanut, his cockatiel, to be blessed.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Archbishop Gomez leads the blessing of the animals.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Kiwi Montana, a bichon on hind legs, waits for treats while in line for a blessing.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Cecilia Garcia brings the ashes of her dog Cachita to be blessed.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Archbishop Gomez blessed people too during the event.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
![LOS ANGELES, CA - SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 - Bertha Gomez, right, and her son David Gomez, the new owners of La Golondrina Cafe, stand inside the famed restaurant that remains closed on Olvera Street in El Pueblo de Los Angeles on September 28, 2023. The Gomez' have not been able to open the business because of a damaged sewer line into the building. La Golondrina Cafe]has been closed since March 2020. They are locked in a lawsuit with the city, because they claim that the city is responsible for the repairs, while the city argues otherwise. The Board of El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument Authority Commission on Thursday oversaw a hearing and decided that the Gomez' should be evicted from the location, nearly 95 years after the business first opened. The previous owners were the original family who started the business and it's considered one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in the city. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)](https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fc1b23c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6699x4480+10+0/resize/1024x685!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F44%2F88%2Fe2b72d1641ec8c2de63a02da4ef8%2F1353501-me-0928-la-golondrina-cafe-gem-001.jpg)
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