Isang Aso, araw-araw nasa Simbahan at umuupo sa harap ng altar dahil sa isang nakakaiyak na dahilan.

It is a rare sight to see a dog attending a mass alone every day. However, the German Shepherd named Tommy is far from any dog you have encountered in your life.

This dog attended the church service almost every day in the town of San Donaci in Italy. Upon arriving at the church, Tommy sits quietly by the altar. The churchgoers all know Tommy and the wonderful sight of the dog is no stranger to them, as well as the reason why this dog always visits the church.

The dog was owned by Maria Margherita Lochi. Maria found Tommy alone in some fields not too far from her home. She kept the stray puppy in her home and from that moment onwards, the two of them shared a strong bond together.

However, happy moments do not last forever. Maria passed away, and Tommy was left alone and longing for his departed owner’s return. The reason why Tommy went to the same church everyday was because it was where he has last seen his owner during her funeral services. The dog came back to the church and sat in front of the altar every day, hoping that one day his owner would appear once again and they would be reunited.

His bittersweet story is very similar to another devoted pet – the faithful Japanese dog Hachiko.

Father Donato Panna, the priest of the church said,

”He’s there every time I celebrate Mass and is very well behaved – he doesn’t make a sound, I’ve not heard one bark from him in all the time he has been coming in. He used to come to Mass with Maria and he was obviously devoted to her – I let him stay inside as he was always so well behaved and none of the other parishoners ever complained to me.”

Ever since his owner passed away, the entire village has adopted Tommy and treated them as their own dog. They fed and took good care of the dog as if he was a part of their families. Even though Tommy lost his owner, he was lucky to have found a new family in their village.