Saints & Martyrs

Saint Blaise

Blaise (d. early 4th c.), bishop and martyr. Blaise was a bishop in Sebaste, Armenia, who was persecuted and executed by the Emperor Licinius. While in hiding during his persecution, Blaise is said to have healed sick and wounded animals. He also saved a boy with a fishbone stuck in his throat. At his execution, Blaise was first scraped with wool-combs and then beheaded, and as a result was made the patron of wool-combers.

Excerpt from The Golden Legend

[St. Blaise] was so sweet, holy and humble in manners, that the Christian men of Cappadocia of the city of Sebaste chose him to be a bishop. ... Diocletian the emperor made so many persecutions to Christian men that [St. Blaise] sought and would dwell in an hermitage in a ditch, in which place the birds of heaven brought to him meat for to eat. And it seemed to him that they came to serve him and accompany him, and would not depart from him till he had lift up his hands and blessed them. And also sick men came to him and anon were cured and healed.

Now it happed that the prince of this region sent his knights to hunt, and they could take nothing. But by adventure they came unto the desert place where [St. Blaise] was, where they found great multitude of beasts which were about him, of whom they could take none, whereof they were all abashed and showed this to their lord, the which anon sent many knights for him, and commanded to bring him and all the Christian men with him.

And that night Jesus Christ appeared to him thrice, which said to him, "Arise up and make to me sacrifice. Lo! here be the knights that come to fetch thee at the commandment of the prince." And the knights said to him, "Come out from this place, the president call[s] thee." And [St. Blaise] answered, "My sons, ye be welcome, I see now well that God [has] not forgotten me." He went with them and continually preached, and did many miracles [be]fore them.

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