Blaise of Sebaste
(BLASIUS) Bishop and martyr.
Patronages
According to Catholic tradition, as recorded in the sources cited for each patronage:
Affections of the throat
He is the patron of Ragusa and also the patron saint of woolcombers, of wild animals, and of all who suffer from affections of the throat.
Recorded as patron of affections of the throat in:
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1926, ST BLAISE, Bp. anp Marr.
Animals
Recorded as patron of animals in:
- Drake, Saints and Their Emblems, 1916, PATRON SAINTS OF
Diseases of the throat
Recorded as patron of diseases of the throat in:
- Drake, Saints and Their Emblems, 1916, SAINTS INVOKED FOR
Manufacturers of wool
Owing, probably, to this reason, he has been esteemed the patron of manufacturers of wool, and that trade in the city of Norwich still observes his day, or did so until lately.
Recorded as patron of manufacturers of wool in:
- Baring-Gould, The Lives of the Saints, 1897, S. BLAISE, B.M.
Ragusa
He is the principal patron of the commonwealth of Ragusa."
Recorded as patron of Ragusa in:
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1812, ST. BLASE, BISHOP AND MARTYR.
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1866, ST. BLASE, BISHOP AND MARTYR.
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1926, ST BLAISE, Bp. anp Marr.
- Husenbeth, Emblems of Saints, 1882, PATRONS OF COUNTRIES AND CITIES.
Stonemasons
Recorded as patron of stonemasons in:
- Drake, Saints and Their Emblems, 1916, PATRONS OF ARTS, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS
- Husenbeth, Emblems of Saints, 1882, PATRONS OF ARTS, TRADES, AND PROFESSIONS.
Wild animals
He is the patron of Ragusa and also the patron saint of woolcombers, of wild animals, and of all who suffer from affections of the throat.
Recorded as patron of wild animals in:
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1926, ST BLAISE, Bp. anp Marr.
Wool-combers
No other reason than the great devotion of the people to this celebrated martyr of the church seems to have given occasion to the wool-combers to choose him the titular patron of their profession : on which account his festival is still kept by them with a solemn guild at Norwich.
Recorded as patron of wool-combers in:
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1812, ST. BLASE, BISHOP AND MARTYR.
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1866, ST. BLASE, BISHOP AND MARTYR.
- Butler, Lives of the Saints, 1926, ST BLAISE, Bp. anp Marr.
- Drake, Saints and Their Emblems, 1916, PATRONS OF ARTS, TRADES AND PROFESSIONS
Feast day
- February 3 · General Roman Calendar
From Catholic Encyclopedia, 1913, “St. Blaise”
The ninth-century martyrologies of Europe in their lists, which are accompanied by historical notices, give on 15 February the name of St. Blasius, Bishop of Sebaste and martyr.
The Greek synaxaria mention him under 11 February.
In the oldest known recension of the so-called martyrology of St. Jerome the name of St. Blasius does not appear;
it is only in the later, enlarged catalogues that he is mentioned.
The historical notices concerning him in the above-mentioned martyrologies and synaxaria rest on the legendary Acts.
All the statements agree that St. Blasius was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia and most of the acounts place his martyrdom in the reign of Licinius (about 316).
As these reports may rest on old traditions which are bound up with the veneration of the saint in the Church liturgy, they are not to be absolutely rejected.
Prayer from The Raccolta, 1910, no. 387
O GLORIOUS St Blaise, who with a short prayer didst restore to perfect safety a child at the point of death from a fish-bone fixed in its throat, grant that we may all feel the power of thy patronage in every malady of the throat, and may have the special grace to mortify the dangerous sense of taste by observing faithfully the precepts of the Church. Thou also, who in thy martyrdom hast left to the Church the testimony of a glorious faith, grant that we may keep this divine gift intact, and that in these times we may be enabled, by word and deed, without fear of man, to defend the truths of faith, so grievously obscured and attacked.
Works of art
