St. Blaise: Feast Day, Patronage & Prayers
Feast day: February 3 (optional memorial)
Patron of: Those suffering from throat ailments; wool combers.
About St. Blaise
St. Blaise was a bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, in present-day Turkey, who was martyred in the early fourth century, probably around 316, under the emperor Licinius. Little is known for certain about his life, but his veneration spread widely in both East and West, and he became one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers.
According to his traditional story, Blaise was a physician before he became bishop, and during persecution he lived in a cave where wild animals came to him for healing. When he was arrested, a mother brought him her young son, who was choking on a fish bone, and through his prayer the boy was saved. Another story tells that a poor woman whose pig had been taken by a wolf got it back through his prayers, and later brought him candles and food in prison. Blaise was tortured with iron combs used for carding wool and then beheaded. From these stories comes the Blessing of Throats, given on his feast, February 3, with two crossed candles, asking God to deliver us from ailments of the throat and from every other illness.
Prayers to St. Blaise on Daily Catholic Prayers
Browse every saint in our Catalog of Saints A–Z.
Comments