Who: Saint Blaise
Feast Day: February 3rd
Patron of: Throat illnesses, animals, wool combers, and wool trading
TRANSCRIPT:
Who is saint Blaise?
Saint Blaise is the patron of throat illnesses, animals, wool combers, and wool trading.
Blaise began as a physician, a healer, until he became a healer of souls and eventually became a bishop.
Christians were still being persecuted in the Roman Empire at the time of Blaise’s death in 316, which eventually caused him to flee to the caves where he lived his life in solitude and dedicated his life to prayer.
Hunters eventually stumbled upon Blaise’s cave, and were frightened when they say the Patron Saint of Animals kneeling in prayer surrounded by calm beasts such as lions and bears.
From there, Blaise was taken to prison. On his way to prison he came across a poor old women whose pig had been stolen by a wolf. Blaise commanded the wolf to return the pig, and it did. To the amazement of everyone the pig was alive and unharmed.
When he was in prison, the old woman visited him and brought him two wax candles to brighten is dark cell. This is why Blaise is usually depicted with candles and on his Feast Day a priest uses candles to do the Blessing of the Throats.
While he was in jail, a woman brought her young son to him. He was choking on a fish bone and on Blaise’s command the child was able to cough up the bone, which is why he is the patron of throat illnesses.
Blaise refused to renounce his faith while in prison. For that, he was beaten, had his flesh torn by wool combs, and then beheaded.
That is the life of Saint Blaise, physician, bishop, and martyr of the Church.
Saint Blaise, pray for us.
