Many people often describe animal lovers as displaying excessive love towards pets and animals in general.  

As God's creations, animals are obviously not meant as objects of worship. They are however deserving of love and respect for the multitude of material and emotional benefits that they offer to man, by supporting their wellbeing and socialization.

Thus the Orthodox Church has acknowledged Saint Modestus as the Protector Saint especially of domesticated animals.

A beloved saint, who highlights how each and every person’s needs are valued within the space of the Church - including the love for their animals and their sorrow and anguish when they fall sick.  

He is the first Saint who comes to the mind of a faithful Christian when any of their animals is ailing – from their domestic animals to the ones that toil with them in agricultural labours.

The presence of a saint for animals emphasizes the respect that every creature of God deserves to receive. No animal is worshipped, nor can it replace man, but it should be the recipient of sincere care, as a living creation, for as long as it lives, and certainly not deserving of any cruelty...

The commemoration day of Saint Modestos is the 16th of December. Assuredly, many faithful have his name on their praying lips when the life and health of their beloved animal is in danger...

Saint Modestus of Jerusalem (+ 634) was Bishop of Jerusalem, who had lived as an ascetic between the 6th and 7th centuries.  We don't have very much information about his entire life. He was the Abbot of the Lavra of Theodosius near Jerusalem. After the abduction of Zacharias of Jerusalem by the invading Persians in 614, Modestus took over as Locum Tenens for sixteen years, that is, until 631 when he became Patriarch of Jerusalem. He fell asleep in the Lord in 634 AD, during a voyage. The Church honors him also as the protector of ploughing oxen.

Translation A.N.