While countless churches around the country were blessing animals for the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, some of the faithful who live on the Pacific coast were offering prayers of blessing for the waters whose name means “peaceful”:

Hundreds of Californians joined surfing priests and religious leaders from multiple faiths Sunday to honor the ocean and protest coastal pollution.

The third annual Blessing of the Waves was held the Orange County surfing mecca of Huntington Beach to recognize the spiritual significance of the water and coastline.

“Some good swells came in,” said 85-year-old Father Christian Mondor of St. Simon and Jude Catholic Church in Huntington Beach. “Before we surfed, the group paddled out and joined hands in a prayer of thanksgiving for the great gift of the ocean, and to ask God’s blessing for those who use it.”

Mondor, who has been surfing since the 1930’s, said the event is to honor St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment.

“We find that the ocean can bring people of all faiths together,” Mondor said. “And since this is Surf City U.S.A, it’s the perfect place to gather.”

The event is organized by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange and features a floating interfaith prayer circle, a Christian rock band called The Wedge, and priests and a rabbi on surfboards.

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“Surfers have a certain way of living their lives, and have a very unique relationship with the ocean and its ecosystem,” Diocese spokesman Ryan Lilyengren said. “It’s spiritual.”

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