Saint Blaise throat blessing: February 3 is the feast of Saint Blaise. On this day, Catholics bless throats and pray for good health. About 400 years after the death of Saint Blaise in 316 AD, his life story was written in a document, The Actos of Saint Blaise. Here is the relevant portions of the text:

Blaise, who had studied philosophy in his youth, was a doctor in Sebaste in Armenia, the city of his birth, who exercised his art with miraculous ability, good-will, and piety. When the bishop of the city died, he was chosen to succeed him, with the acclamation of all the people. His holiness was manifest through many miracles: from all around, people came to him to find cures for their spirit and their body; even wild animals came in herds to receive his blessing. In 316, Agricola, the governor of Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, having arrived in Sebastia at the order of the emperor Licinius to kill the Christians, arrested the bishop. As he was being led to jail, a mother set her only son, choking to death of a fish-bone, at his feet, and the child was cured straight away. Regardless, the governor, unable to make Blaise renounce his faith, beat him with a stick, ripped his flesh with iron combs, and beheaded him. 

As the governor’s men led Blaise back to Sebastea, on the way, they met a poor woman whose pig had been seized by a wolf. At the command of Blaise, the wolf restored the pig to its owner, alive and unhurt. When he had reached the capital and was thrown in prison to await execution, the old woman whose pig he had saved came to see him, bringing two fine wax candles to dispel the gloom of his dark cell.

Healing the sick was a primary part of the ministry of Jesus and since the time of Jesus, the church has prayed with its people for the sick. The blessing of Saint Blaise, celebrated with two candles and a prayer for God’s healing, is a lovely Catholic custom. We will offer the blessing of throats after all Masses on February 3 and 4.