Saint Blaise
Also known as
- Biagio
- Blase
- Blasius
Profile
Physician. Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. Lived in a cave on Mount Argeus. Healer of men and animals; according to legend, sick animals would come to him on their own for help, but would never disturb him at prayer.
Agricola, governor of Cappadocia, came to Sebaste to persecute Christians. His huntsmen went into the forests of Argeus to find wild animals for the arena games, and found many waiting outside Blaise’s cave. Discovered in prayer, Blaise was arrested, and Agricola tried to get him to recant his faith. While in prison, Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners, including saving a child who was choking on a fish bone; this led to the blessing of throats on Blaise’s feast day.
Thrown into a lake to drown, Blaise stood on the surface and invited his persecutors to walk out and prove the power of their gods; they drowned. When he returned to land, he was martyred by being beaten, his flesh torn with wool combs (which led to his association with and patronage of those involved in the wool trade), and then beheading.
Blaise has been extremely popular for centuries in both the Eastern and Western Churches. In 1222 the Council of Oxford prohibited servile labour in England on his feast. He is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers
Born
- flesh torn by iron wool-combs, then beheaded c.316
- against angina
- against bladder diseases
- against blisters
- against coughs
- against dermatitis
- against dropsy
- against eczema
- against edema
- against fever
- against goitres
- against headaches
- against impetego
- against respiratory diseases
- against skin diseases
- against snake bites
- against sore throats
- against stomach pain
- against storms
- against teething pain
- against throat diseases
- against toothaches
- against ulcers
- against whooping cough
- against wild beasts
- angina sufferers
- animals
- cattle
- children
- healthy throats
- motorists
- pack horses
- pets
- pigs
- bakers
- brick layers
- builders
- carvers
- cobblers
- construction workers
- cowherds
- farm workers
- hat makers
- hatters
- millers
- musicians who play wind instruments
- plasterers
- shoe makers
- sock makers
- stocking makers
- stone cutters
- stone masons
- swineherds
- tailors
- tanners
- veterinarians
- wool-combers
- wool weavers
- —
- Dalmatia
- Paraguay
- Sint-Blasius-Boekel, Belgium
- Dubrovnik, Croatia
- in Germany
- in Italy
- wool comb representing the item used to torture him
- hermit tending wild animals
- candle
- iron comb
- man healing a choking boy
- man with two candles
- two candles
- two crossed candles
- wax
Readings
Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from ailments of the throat and from every other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. – blessing of Saint Blaise
MLA Citation
- “Saint Blaise“. CatholicSaints.Info. 21 September 2021. Web. 17 January 2022. <>