(EN) World Animal Day
...is celebrated each year on October the 4th. It started in Florence, Italy in 1931 at a convention of
ecologists. On this day, animal life in all its forms is celebrated, and special events are planned in
locations all over the globe. The 4th of October was chosen for World Animal
Day because it is the feast day of Francis of Assisi, a nature lover and patron saint of animals and the
environment. Numerous churches
throughout the world observe the Sunday closest to October the 4th with a Blessing of the Animals.
World Animal Day, however, has now gone beyond being the celebration of
a Christian saint and is today observed by animal-lovers of all beliefs,
nationalities and backgrounds. Animal blessings are held in churches, synagogues, and by independent animal chaplains in parks and fields. Animal rescue shelters hold fundraising events and open days, wildlife groups organize
information displays, schools undertake animal-related project work and
individuals and groups of friends or co-workers donate to animal charities or
pledge to sponsor a shelter animal.
(PT) Dia Mundial dos Animais
...é comemorado todos os anos em 04 de Outubro. Tudo começou em Florença, Itália em 1931, em uma convenção de ecologistas. Neste dia, a vida animal em todas as suas formas é celebrada, e eventos especiais são planejadas em locais por todo o mundo. O 04 de outubro foi originalmente escolhido para o Dia Mundial dos Animais, porque é o dia da festa de São Francisco de Assis, um amante da natureza e padroeiro dos animais e do meio ambiente. Igrejas de todo o mundo reservam o domingo mais próximo da data para abençoar os animais. A data abrange todas as espécies do reino animal, incluindo o ser humano.
(DE) Welttierschutztag
...ist der 4. Oktober. Vom 12. bis 17. Mai 1929 war Wien zum dritten Mal Austragungsort des "Internationalen Tierschutzkongresses", an dem Vertreter von 152 Tierschutzvereinen aus 32 Ländern teilnahmen. Der Kongress verabschiedete einen 23-Punkte-Forderungskatalog. Punkt 23 sah die Einführung eines "Tierschutztages" vor.
Am 8. Mai 1931 war es dann so weit. Beim Kongress von Florenz wurde für den 4. Oktober der erste "Welttierschutztag" proklamiert. An ihm gedenkt man des Heiligen Franz von Assisi (Namenstag), der am Abend des 3. Oktober 1226 gestorben ist (nach damaligem Verständnis zählte die Zeit nach Sonnenuntergang bereits zum darauf folgenden Tag; daher 4. Oktober) und als Gründer des Franziskanerordens unter anderem wegen seiner Tierpredigten berühmt und volkstümlich wurde.
