St. Blaise

Saint Blaise

Bishop & Martyr

Blaise was the bishop of Sebaste in Asia Minor, and served as a physician before taking Holy Orders. During the Diocletian persecution, the holy bishop took refuge in a mountain cave, but he was eventually discovered by the Roman governor’s men and thrown into prison. Blaise worked many miracles of healing while ministering to his fellow prisoners, and most notably he saved the life of a boy who was choking to death on a bone that was stuck in his throat. The saint refused to apostatize before the governor, and was sent to be tortured. He was beaten with iron rods, and then stretched on the rack while the pagans tore his flesh with metal combs, like those used to card wool. Blaise nevertheless persevered in confessing the Faith, and was finally beheaded, on this day in the year of Our Lord 316. Veneration of St. Blaise spread all over Christendom, especially due to countless miracles involving ailments of the throat, and on his feast day the Church traditionally administers an official blessing of throats with two crossed candles. St. Blaise is numbered among the Fourteen Holy Helpers, and he is particularly hailed as a patron of the wool trade.

Traditional Roman Martyrology for February 3rd

AT Sebaste, in Armenia, in the time of the governor Agricolaus, the passion of St. Blasius, bishop and martyr, who after working many miracles, was scourged a long time, and suspended on a tree where he was lacerated with iron combs. He was then imprisoned in a dark dungeon, thrown into a lake from which he came out safe, and finally, by order of the same judge, he and two boys were beheaded. Before him, seven women who were gathering the drops of his blood during his torture, were recognized as Christians, and after undergoing severe torments, were put to death by the sword.

In Africa, St. Celerinus, deacon, who was kept nineteen days in prison loaded with fetters, and confessed Christ gloriously in the midst of afflictions. By overcoming the enemy with invincible constancy, he showed to others the road to victory.

Also, the holy martyrs, Laurentinus, and Ignatius, his uncles, and Celerina, his grandmother, who had been previously crowned with martyrdom. They are highly praised in an epistle of St. Cyprian.

In the same country, the holy martyrs Felix, Symphronius, Hippolytus and their companions.

In the town of Gap, the holy bishops Tigides and Remedius.

At Lyons, the Saints Lupicinus and Felix, also bishops.

The same day, St. Anscharius, bishop of Bremen, who converted the Swedes and the Danes to the faith of Christ.

℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.

℟. Thanks be to God.