Jodeci the parrot rustled her green-tipped wings as they were splashed with holy water, the droplets glistening in the sun. Her owner beamed as she captured the moment on her cellphone.
It was the mango-colored bird’s first time at the annual Blessing of the Animals, which has been held the day before Easter Sunday in the Plaza at Olvera Street since 1930. Jodeci was one of hundreds of animals — mostly dogs, but also cats, goats, turtles, two ferrets and a llama named Rama — blessed by Los Angeles Archbishop Jose Gomez on Saturday.
Jodeci’s owner, Sonja Rideout, said she rescued the bird about two years ago and named her after the R&B group. As Jodeci squawked at a reporter and gave Rideout kisses, the Ontario resident said she had heard about the blessing for several years and thought it was finally time to come see it herself.
“Plus, she’s torn up three pairs of pajamas,” Rideout said. “So I said, ‘You’re going to be blessed, young lady.'”
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