Timothy Cardinal Dolan blesses animals taking part in Radio City Christmas Spectacular
NEW YORK -- There was a special blessing for the animals taking center stage Wednesday at Radio City Music Hall's annual Christmas Spectacular.
The sheep, camel, and donkey appearing in the show's nativity scene were blessed by Timothy Cardinal Dolan.
Some of the Rockettes were also there, outside Radio City.
The animals arrived Wednesday for the first day of rehearsals for this year's show.
"The heart of the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall is a live nativity scene, so, you know, I often sort of cry that we are missing the real meaning of Christmas. But we are not at Radio City," Dolan said.
The living nativity scene has been part of the Christmas show since it first began in 1933.