The ash spreading ceremony for gran was hilarious, I have to say. Normally such events would be sad, but something happened to day that made everyone laugh, and I have such great memories of today.
When we arrived at the church, a black and white cat was wandering around. Apparently, this cat was a stray who often hung around the church - and no wonder, the number of people who stopped to pet him!
In the church, halfway during the service, the cat entered, and padded up the aisle. He stopped in the middle of aisle and flopped onto his belly before proceeding to lick his paws with vigor. Then he jumped up and bounded onto the wooden alter where the candles were burning.
He came a little too close to one of the candles, and his tail started to smoulder. Smoke started to billow, and the congregation, who were singing a hymn at the time, all stopped and gasped as the misfortune of this poor moggy. The assistant priest had to stop what she was doing and remove the cat, carrying him outside.
Then, while we were outside, ready for the ceremony to scatter grans ashes into the hole prepared in the memorial garden, the cat decided it would drink the Holy water:
He then proceeded over to the hole (as shown in pic) and stick a curious paw into it, before trying to crawl into it. I had to step forward and grab the cat before he did his business in the hole!
The cat was okay, though. No burns to his tail, but he did spend the rest of the morning purring like a mad thing with all the cuddles he was given!
When we arrived at the church, a black and white cat was wandering around. Apparently, this cat was a stray who often hung around the church - and no wonder, the number of people who stopped to pet him!
In the church, halfway during the service, the cat entered, and padded up the aisle. He stopped in the middle of aisle and flopped onto his belly before proceeding to lick his paws with vigor. Then he jumped up and bounded onto the wooden alter where the candles were burning.
He came a little too close to one of the candles, and his tail started to smoulder. Smoke started to billow, and the congregation, who were singing a hymn at the time, all stopped and gasped as the misfortune of this poor moggy. The assistant priest had to stop what she was doing and remove the cat, carrying him outside.
Then, while we were outside, ready for the ceremony to scatter grans ashes into the hole prepared in the memorial garden, the cat decided it would drink the Holy water:
He then proceeded over to the hole (as shown in pic) and stick a curious paw into it, before trying to crawl into it. I had to step forward and grab the cat before he did his business in the hole!
The cat was okay, though. No burns to his tail, but he did spend the rest of the morning purring like a mad thing with all the cuddles he was given!
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