LateRooms.com - Roman church 'welcomes unusual guests' for blessing in January

LateRooms.com can announce that when people go to church to receive a blessing, it is most likely to be for themselves or perhaps their children.

However, those staying in accommodation in Rome will have the chance to witness a rather more unusual ceremony if they are in the city at the beginning of next year.

On January 17th 2010, St Eusebio Church, which is located in the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, will hold an animal blessing, when people can bring their beloved pets to morning mass.

Whether they have dogs, cats, rabbits or lizards, everyone is welcome for the event, which may be quite a bit louder than the usual morning prayers.

As well as cute household pets, animals with economic importance such as horses are also gathered together on the steps outside the church for an event which has seen many famous witnesses over the years.

According to What's on When, German poet, philosopher and dramatist Goethe, who is famed for writing Faust, once attended the blessing, as did many artists, including Bartolomeo Pinelli and Wilhelm Mastrand.

Although those visiting the Italian capital may not have their own animals to take along to the service, they may still want to take the opportunity to witness this unusual spectacle.

"The St Eusebio Church blessing of the animals is likely to be popular," said Jess Reading, head of marketing at LateRooms. "LateRooms strongly recommends people considering attending to book hotel Roma as soon as possible."