LEO POLITI MURAL, OLVERA STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA: The Blessing of the Animals

Blessing of the Animals, mural by Leo Politi, Olvera Street, Los Angeles, CA

On a recent trip to Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles I was reacquainted with the wonderful mural painted by children’s book author/illustrator Leo Politi commemorating a favorite festival, the Blessing of the Animals. 

Leo Politi, 1908-1996, painted the Blessing of the Animals in 1978.

THE BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS is celebrated each year on Saturday, the day before Easter. People gather with their pets at the historic center of the city on Olvera Street for this festival. Their pets can be as large as a horse or as small as a mouse, and each one is decorated with ribbons, hats, or flowers. Every type of pet is welcome. Many participants dress in colorful Mexican costumes. Everyone waits patiently in line as the robed priest sprinkles each pet with holy water and blesses it, thus ensuring a happy, healthy year ahead. (Read more about this tradition and see photos in guest post by Ann Stalcup.)

The mural "Blessing of the Animals" is under the archways of the Biscailuz Building at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument.

Now the Mexican Cultural Institute, the building was the Mexican Consulate for 30 years.

Leo Politi was the ultimate California writer and California illustrator.  His books, with their colorful depictions of children, animals, processions, and everyday life, capture the heart of Los Angeles. I actually once met Leo Politi, at a luncheon sponsored by what was then known as SCCLCYP, and is now CLC (Children's Literature Council of Southern California).  The luncheon that day was held in a ballroom at the Biltmore Hotel.  I had just published my very first book, an easy read story about birds, and I was feeling totally intimidated by the roomful of other much more established authors.  We were seated two at each table, along with librarians and other guests, and it was my luck to be paired with Leo Politi, winner of the Caldecott Award and the author and illustrator of dozens of books, including Pedro, the Angel of Olvera Street.  Because of his fame, I expected him to be larger than life, but discovered that he was completely unassuming.  During the program I noticed that he was much more interested in drawing pictures than listening to speeches. One by one, he took the programs off the table, drew our portraits on the back of them, and then gave us the drawings.  When I realized what he was doing, I sat very still to make it easier for him to draw his picture of me.  I wish I could say that I still have the drawing, but I don’t.  It disappeared at some point when I cleaned out my files.  I do have the memory, though, and the lesson that all the time, all around us, there is always something interesting to see, to write about, to draw.

Leo Politi also created the mosaic floor below the mural, depicting fish and other aquatic animals. The mosaic was restored in 1999.

Beginning in 2005, the Leo Politi Golden Author Award was presented by California Readers (a support group connecting children's book authors and illustrators with school libraries in Los Angeles) to the California author who had the most books in the California Collections over time. In 2008 it was given to me, at the annual "We love California authors and artists" luncheon.  (Sadly, California Readers is now defunct.) I am proud to have this connection with this talented and beloved man. And I was delighted to be reminded of him and his love for the life and traditions of Los Angeles on my visit to Olvera Street.

This book, published by California Readers in 2005, includes a biography of Leo Politi, his books, remembrances of Leo, and a list of the recipients of the Leo Politi Golden Author Award