This Mustachioed Pup Just Joined A Franciscan Monastery

One Franciscan monastery just got way more adorable thanks to its newest inductee, a stray dog they named Carmelo.

The Franciscan monastery of Cochabamba, Bolivia, recently welcomed the pooch into their brotherhood and bestowed upon him a formal title: Friar Bigotón, which translates in English as Friar Mustache.

The new brother even received a puppy-sized habit to wear around the monastery, because he’s just that official.

Franciscan Kasper Mariusz Kaproń posted photos to Facebook in late February showing Carmelo enjoying life in his lush, Bolivian sanctuary with more than a dozen human friars.

Sometimes, the furry friar can be found “preaching to the fish,” Kaproń wrote in a Facebook album featuring the mustachioed friar.

Surrounded by fountains, gardens and friendly faces, Carmelo looks right at home at the Bolivian monastery.

“His life is all about playing and running,” friar Jorge Fernandez told animal welfare site The Dodo this week. “

Here, all of the brothers love him very much. He is a creature of God.”

The Franciscan brothers adopted Carmelo through a local animal rescue group named Frías Proyecto Narices (Project Cold Nose), which announced the pup’s induction last week.

The rescue group hopes Carmelo’s adoption story will inspire other churches to welcome stray animals into their communities. This, in turn, would inspire parishioners to adopt dogs as well, the rescue group wrote on Facebook.

Franciscan friars typically live following the rules and values of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals. Their days usually revolve around service and prayer.

Now, at the Franciscan monastery of Cochabama, friars can add playing with Carmelo to their list of daily tasks.

Check out Frías Proyecto Narices’s album below, showing Friar Bigotón clearly loving his new life.