In honor of St. Blaise, whose feast day is February 3rd, we will be blessing throats after all Masses at both St. Matthew and St. Bernard this weekend.
Through this blessing we pray for the intercession of St. Blaise to protect us from illnesses of the throat and all other illnesses. We pray that both our spiritual and physical bodies will be made pure and healthy so that we may better serve our God in life and love.
Why we bless throats on St. Blaise’s feast day
St. Blaise lived in the fourth century in Turkey and Armenia. Due to religious persecution, he was forced to flee and hide in a cave in the back country in order to save his life.
History has it that one day a group of hunters stumbled upon where St. Blaise was living. They found the bishop kneeling in prayer, surrounded by wolves, lions, and bears that he had tamed. The legend has it that as the hunters dragged Blaise off to prison, a mother came with her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat. At Blaise’s command, the child was able to cough up the bone and thus lived.
Today we remember the saint on his feast day by taking two candles, crossing them against the throat, and saying the following prayer:
Through the intercession of St. 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.