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St. Blaise
Little is known about Saint Blaise prior to
his mention in a court physician's medical
journal. The physician, Atius Amidenus,
spoke of Saint Blaise's aid in treating
objects caught in the throat. He was also
mentioned in the book of Acts, where he
was aided by animals and treated people
and beasts alike.
Saint Blaise is believed to begin as a
healer then, eventually, became a
"physician of souls." He then retired to a
cave, where he remained in prayer. People
often turned to Saint Blaise for healing
miracles.
In 316, the governor of Cappadocia and of
Lesser Armenia, Agricola, arrested then-
bishop Blaise for being a Christian. On
their way to the jail, a woman set her only
son, who was chocking to death on a fish
bone, at his feet.
Blaise cured the child, and though
Agricola was amazed, he could not get
Blaise to renounce his faith. Therefore,
Agricola beat Blaise with a stick and tore
at his flesh with iron combs before
beheading him.
In another tale, Blaise was being led to the
prison in Sebastea, and on the way came
across a poor old woman whose pig had
been stolen by a wolf. Blaise commanded
the wolf return the pig, which it did -alive
and uninjured - to the amazement of all.
When he reached Sebastea, the woman
came to him and brought two fine wax
candles in an attempt to dispel the gloom
of his darkened cell.
In the Middle Ages, Blaise became quite
popular and his legend as a beast tamer
spread. He was then referred to as the
"saint of the wild beast."
Many German churches are dedicated to
Saint Blaise, sometimes called Saint
Blasius.
In Great Britain, the village of St. Blazey
got its name from Saint Blaise, and a
church dedicated to the saint can be
found in Decon hamlet of Haccombe, near
Newton Abbot.
There is a Saint Blaise's Well in Kent, and
the water is believed to have medicinal
properties. A Blessing of the Throats
ceremony is held every February 3 at
Saint Etheldreda's Church in Londan and
Balve, Germany.
A Catholic middle school was named after
Saint Blaise in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The name was decided upon when the link
between Bradford and the woolen industry
was connected to the way St. Blaise was
martyred: with woolcomb.
Saint Blaise is often depicted holding two
crossed candles in his hand, or in a cave
with wild animals. He is also often shown
with steel combs. The similarity of the
steel combs and the wool combs made a
large contribution to Saint Blaise's
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leadership as the patron saint of wool Christian bishop and martyr, one of the
combers and the wool trade. most popular medieval saints, solemnly
venerated as the patron saint of sufferers
Saint Blaise from throat diseases and as one of
CHRISTIAN SAINT the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
WRITTEN BY: According to tradition, Blaise was of noble
The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica birth and, after being educated in the
See Article History Christian faith, was made bishop of
Alternative Titles: Saint Blazey, St. Sebastia. Although Christianity had been
Blasius adopted about 300 as the
state religion in Armenia, the Roman
Saint Blaise emperor Licinius began a persecution of
CHRISTIAN SAINT the Christians, and Blaise was discovered
and apprehended. While imprisoned he
miraculously cured a boy from fatally
ALSO KNOWN AS choking. After being torn
Saint Blasius
with wool combers irons, Blaise was
St. Blasius
beheaded.
Subsequent legends, notably
Saint Blazey the apocryphal Acts of St. Blaise, claim
that before Blaise was made bishop he
was a physician possessed of wonderful
BORN
healing power. Numerous miracles were
also attributed to him, including the cure
Sivas, Turkey
of diseased beasts during his refuge, thus
accounting for his also being the patron
DIED saint of wild animals. He was venerated as
the patron of sufferers from throat
c. 316 diseases in the East by the 6th century
and in the West by the 9th century.
Sivas?, Turkey Blaises cult spread throughout
Christendom from the 8th century.
RELATED BIOGRAPHIES In Germany he was counted among the
Saint Paul, the Apostle Fourteen Holy Helpers. Many churches,
Saint Augustine such as that in Dubrovnik, Croatia (a city
Mary of which he is the patron saint), are
Diocletian dedicated to Saint Blaise.
Constantine I Begun in the 16th century, the Blessing of
Saint Isaac the Great St. Blaise is a ceremony still practiced and
Saint Mesrop Mashtots celebrated on his feast day. Two candles
Justinian I are consecrated and crossed before the
Saint Gregory the Illuminator congregation; or a wick, consecrated in oil,
Origen is touched to the throats of the faithful.
Saint Blaise, Latin Blasius, also This blessing may be administered by a
called Blazey (born , Sebastia, Cappadocia priest, a deacon, or a lay minister. Blaises
, Asia Minor [now Sivas, Tur.] emblems are wax, taper, iron combs (the
died c. 316, Sebastia?; feast day, Western supposed instruments of his passion), or
church, February 3; Eastern church, two crossed candles; in art he is
February 11), early
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sometimes represented in a cave with
animals.
Novena in Honor of
St. Blaise
PREPARATORY PRAYER
Almighty and Eternal God! With lively
faith and reverently worshiping Thy Divine
Majesty, I prostrate myself before Thee
and invoke with filial trust Thy supreme
bounty and mercy. Illumine the darkness
of my intellect with a ray of Thy heavenly
light and inflame my heart with the fire of
Thy divine love, that I may contemplate
the great virtues and merits of the saint in
whose honor I make this novena, and
following his example imitate, like him,
the life of Thy divine Son.
Moreover, I beseech Thee to grant
graciously, through the merits and
intercession of this powerful Helper, the
petition which through him I humbly
place before Thee, devoutly saving, "Thy
will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Vouchsafe graciously to hear it, if it
redounds to Thy greater glory and to the
salvation of my soul. Amen.
Prayer in honor of St. Blaise
O GOD, deliver us through the
intercession of Thy holy bishop and
martyr Blase, from all evil of soul and
body, especially from all ills of the throat;
and grant us the grace to make a good
confession in the confident hope of
obtaining Thy pardon, and ever to praise
with worthy lips Thy most holy name.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Invocation of St. Blaise
St. BLASE, gracious benefactor of
mankind and faithful servant of God, who
for the love of our Savior did suffer so
many tortures with patience and
resignation; I invoke thy powerful
intercession. Preserve me from all evils of
soul and body. Because of thy great merits
God endowed thee with the special grace
to help those that suffer from ills of the
throat; relieve and preserve me from them,
so that I may always be able to fulfill my
duties, and with the aid of God's grace
perform good works. I invoke thy help as
special physician of souls, that I may
confess my sins sincerely in the holy
sacrament of Penance and obtain their
forgiveness. I recommend to thy merciful
intercession also those who unfortunately
concealed a sin in confession. Obtain for
them the grace to accuse themselves
sincerely and contritely of the sin they
concealed, of the sacrilegious confessions
and communions they made, and of all
the sins they committed since then, so
that they may receive pardon, the grace of
God, and the remission of the eternal
punishment. Amen.
Prayer
My LORD and my God! I offer up to Thee
my petition in union with the bitter
passion and death of Jesus Christ, Thy
Son, together with the merits of His
immaculate and blessed Mother, Mary
ever virgin, and of all the saints,
particularly with those of the holy Helper
in whose honor I make this novena.
Look down upon me, merciful Lord! Grant
me Thy grace and Thy love, and graciously
hear my prayer. Amen.
Many Catholics might remember Saint
Blaise's feast day, February 3, because of
the Blessing of the Throats that take place
on this day. Two candles are blessed, held
slightly open, and pressed against the
throat as the blessing is said.
Very few facts are known about Saint
Blaise. It is believed he was a bishop of
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Sebastea in Armenia who was martyred
under the reign of Licinius in the early
fourth century.
The legend of St. Blaise tells us that he
was born into a rich and noble family who
raised him as a Christian. He became a
bishop. Later, a new persecution of
Christians began. He received a message
from God to go into the hills to escape
persecution. Hunters discovered a cave
surrounded by wild animals who were
sick. Blaise walked among them unafraid,
curing them of their illnesses. The hunters
recognized Blaise as a Bishop, so they
captured him to take him back for trial. On
the way back, he talked a wolf into
releasing a pig that belonged to a poor
woman. When Blaise was sentenced to be
starved to death, the woman, in gratitude,
sneaked into the prison with food and
candles. Finally, the governor had Blaise
killed.
Saint Blase is the patron of physicians,
sick cattle, wax- chandlers, woolcombers,
and of wild animals because of his care for
them and of those with throat maladies.
He is invoked against afflictions of the
throat (Bentley, Roeder).
As one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers,
Saint Blase was much venerated
throughout Central Europe. In art he is a
bishop with a metal comb and a tall
candle. He may be shown in many
different ways: (1) with crozier (pastoral
staff) and two candles (no comb); (2)
martyred by being torn with iron combs; (3)
in a cave with wild animals; (4) discovered
by hunters, a fawn near him (not to be
confused with the monk, Saint Giles); (5)
blessing the birds in front of a cave; (6)
rescuing a poor woman's pig from a wolf;
(6) saving the life of a boy who swallowed
a fishbone; or (7) with the city of Dubrovnik
in his hand or being carried over the city by
angels (Roeder
Patron of Throat Ailments
St. Blaise was known for his kindness and
healing. He was sought by believers to
cure the medical conditions of loved ones
and animals.
We know more about the devotion to St.
Blaise by Christians around the world
than we know about the saint himself.
His feast is observed as a holy day in some
Eastern Churches. The Council of Oxford,
in 1222, prohibited servile labor in
England on Blaises feast day. The
Germans and Slavs hold him in special
honor and for decades many United States
Catholics have sought the annual St.
Blaise blessing for their throats
We know that Bishop Blaise was martyred
in his Episcopal city of Sebastea, Armenia,
in 316. The legendary Acts of St. Blaise
were written 400 years later. According to
them Blaise was a good bishop, working
hard to encourage the spiritual and
physical health of his people. Although
the Edict of Toleration (311), granting
freedom of worship in the Roman Empire,
was already five years old, persecution still
raged in Armenia. Blaise was apparently
forced to flee to the back country. There
he lived as a hermit in solitude and
prayer, but made friends with the wild
animals. One day a group of hunters
seeking wild animals for the amphitheater
stumbled upon Blaises cave. They were
first surprised and then frightened. The
bishop was kneeling in prayer surrounded
by patiently waiting wolves, lions and
bears.
As the hunters hauled Blaise off to prison,
the legend has it; a mother came with her
young son who had a fish bone lodged in
his throat. At Blaises command the child
was able to cough up the bone.
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Agricolaus, governor of Cappadocia, tried lodged in his throat. At Blaises command

to persuade Blaise to sacrifice to pagan the child was able to cough up the bone.
idols. The first time Blaise refused, he
was beaten. The next time he was Agricolaus, governor of Cappadocia, tried
to persuade Blaise to sacrifice to pagan
suspended from a tree and his flesh torn
idols. The first time Blaise refused, he was
with iron combs or rakes. Finally he was
beaten. The next time he was suspended
beheaded. from a tree and his flesh torn with iron
combs or rakes. Finally, he was beheaded.
Saint Blaises Story
We know more about the devotion to
Saint Blaise by Christians around the
world than we know about the saint Reflection
himself. His feast is observed as a holy Four centuries give ample opportunity for
day in some Eastern Churches. In 1222, fiction to creep in with fact. Who can be
the Council of Oxford prohibited servile sure how accurate Blaises biographer
labor in England on Blaises feast day. The was? But biographical details are not
Germans and Slavs hold him in special essential. Blaise is seen as one more
honor, and for decades many United example of the power those have who give
States Catholics have sought the themselves entirely to Jesus. As Jesus told
annual Saint Blaise blessing for their his apostles at the Last Supper, If you
throats. remain in me and my words remain in
you, ask for whatever you want and it will
We know that Bishop Blaise was martyred be done for you (John 15:7). With faith we
in his episcopal city of Sebastea, Armenia, can follow the lead of the Church in
in 316. The legendary Acts of St. asking for Blaises protection.
Blaise were written 400 years later.
According to them Blaise was a good
bishop, working hard to encourage the
spiritual and physical health of his people.
Although the Edict of Toleration (311),
granting freedom of worship in the Roman
Empire, was already five years old,
persecution still raged in Armenia. Blaise
was apparently forced to flee to the back
country. There he lived as a hermit in
solitude and prayer, but he made friends
with the wild animals. One day a group of
hunters seeking wild animals for the
amphitheater stumbled upon Blaises
cave. They were first surprised and then
frightened. The bishop was kneeling in
prayer surrounded by patiently waiting
wolves, lions and bears.

The legend has it that as the hunters

hauled Blaise off to prison, a mother came
with her young son who had a fish bone