Homages to Saint Francis in zoos

[Enzo]

Hello, everybody, and happy World Animal Day!

Today, we also celebrate the life and work of Saint Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and ecology. He was also a Western pioneer on animal ethics and viewed animals as equal to our kind.

Due to his love for animals, many zoos across Brazil honor the saint in many different ways. Most have statues of him, while a park in Canindé (Ceará) is even named after Francis. Coincidentally, Belo Horizonte is also home to an aquarium entirely dedicated to a major river named after the monk.

Therefore, I, a devout catholic, was left wondering: is honoring Saint Francis common outside Brazil or the wider Latin American region? How is his work acknowledged by other zoos around the world? Do you, zoo-goers, support the practice of honoring saints (or other non-zoo related people) in zoos or should it be left in the past?

Thank you in advance for answering.

 

[Jana]

Knowledge about existence of Saint Francis of Assisi is widespread in my country, it´s part of grammary school education (just that local saints, involved in ethnogenesis of Czech nation, aka our Game of Thrones, are incomparably more popular than him in general conscinouness).

Most local zoos and rescue stations celebrate World Animal Day (4th Oct - day of Saint Francis), it´s often one of the most important events of the year for them. But it´s all about animal protection, name of Saint Francis is just footnote.

I think that honoring saints (of whatever religion) in a zoo is rather normal occurence if your dominant culture tends to lean that way.

 

[PossumRoach]

Tiergarten Schönbrunn has a beautiful mosaic of St. Francis on the Conservation House (then insect house when I took this picture).

 

[carlos55]

In Mexico I have never seen a statue or image of Saint Francis in any zoo or aquarium. Our country has a strong tradition of separation of Church and state, so public figures of religious motives are not favored. By the way, our upcoming Día de muertos festivities and altares are considered a cultural heritage and not religious, so various zoos put on decorations and altars on that occasion., mostly for popular animals that have passed away.

 

[Mickey]

Not only animals, but the whole world as well:
Saint Francis of Assisi, famous for his "Canticle of the Creatures", praises everything that was created from Sun to water, to animals and even, according to legend a few minutes before his death, Sister Corporal Death.

Saint Francis, patron of Italy, animals and ecology, is a mysterious yet famous figure that has always fascinated people for his theology and way of life, but his thanks to God did not only extend to animals, living beings, but to abiotic environmental factors as well, thus why patron of ecology.