Saint Blaise

Biography

Saint Blaise, also known as Biagio, Blase, Blasius, or Blasien, was a physician and the Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. He lived a humble and dedicated life in a cave on Mount Argeus, devoting his time to prayer and healing both men and animals. According to legend, sick animals would seek out Saint Blaise on their own for help, but they would never disturb him during his prayer. This miraculous power to heal and communicate with animals earned him great reverence and admiration among the people. However, trouble arose when Agricola, the governor of Cappadocia, came to Sebaste to persecute Christians. Agricola's huntsmen ventured into the forests of Argeus to capture wild animals for the arena games. Astonishingly, they found that many animals were patiently waiting outside Saint Blaise's cave. The huntsmen discovered Saint Blaise deep in prayer and promptly arrested him. In an attempt to make him renounce his faith, Agricola imprisoned Saint Blaise. Nevertheless, Saint Blaise continued to minister to and heal his fellow prisoners, displaying extraordinary acts of mercy and compassion. The most renowned of these acts involved saving a child who was choking on a fish bone, which eventually led to the tradition of blessing throats on Saint Blaise's feast day. In a desperate bid to silence Saint Blaise and eliminate his influence, Agricola threw him into a lake with the intention of drowning him. However, to the astonishment of all, Saint Blaise stood on the surface of the water and invited his persecutors to walk out and prove the power of their gods. Unsurprisingly, they drowned in their futile attempt. Saint Blaise, unharmed, returned to the land and was subsequently martyred. He endured excruciating suffering, beaten mercilessly and his flesh torn with iron wool combs, symbolizing the torture he had endured. Finally, he was beheaded, sealing his martyrdom. Saint Blaise has been widely venerated and cherished for centuries in both the Eastern and Western Churches. In 1222, the Council of Oxford even prohibited servile labor in England on his feast day, highlighting the high esteem in which he was held. Notably, Saint Blaise is honored as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers due to his extraordinary intercessory powers. His representation includes a wool comb symbolizing the instrument of his torture, as well as depictions of him as a hermit tending to wild animals, holding candles, or healing a choking boy. Saint Blaise's patronage extends to a wide range of areas, including protection against angina, asthma, bladder diseases, blisters, coughs, dermatitis, dropsy, eczema, edema, fever, goiters, headaches, impetigo, respiratory diseases, skin diseases, snake bites, sore throats, stomach pain, storms, teething pain, throat diseases, toothaches, ulcers, whooping cough, and wild beasts. Additionally, Saint Blaise is the patron saint of different professions such as bakers, bricklayers, 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, and wool weavers. Geographically, Saint Blaise holds patronage over several places including Sint-Blasius-Boekel in Belgium, Dubrovnik in Croatia, and cities and towns in Germany such as Braunschweig, Mühlhausen, and Sankt Blasien. Furthermore, he is revered in various locations in Italy, such as Alanno, Alleghe, Anguillara Sabazia, Avetrana, Bovolone, Bussi sul Tirino, Calanzo di Cadore, Camastra in Sicily, Canossa, Cantalupo in Sabina, Cardito, Carosino, Casalnuovo di Napoli, Cassano all’Jonio, Castel Sant'Angelo, Castellania, Castelnuovo, Sassocorvaro Auditore, Castelnuovo Belbo, Castiglione a Casauria, Doues, Militello in Sicily, Montecatini Val di Cecina, Naples, Ostuni, Palombara Sabina, Pietrasanta, Revello, Ruvo di Puglia, Sacrofano, and Saint Lucia del Mela. Finally, Saint Blaise is the patron saint of Villarrobledo in Spain. His influence and veneration have touched many lives throughout history, making him a beloved and powerful saint within the Catholic Church.