Saint Blaise Blessing: Celebrate Traditions

Today, I received the Saint Blaise Blessing. Do you know what is it?

Photo Courtesy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blessing_of_the_Throats

In many places on February 3rd. the day of his feast, the blessing of St. Blaise is given. The priest uses two candles, blessed on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord "candlemas", held in a crossed position over the heads or touched on the throat with them.

I received the following blessing:"May Almighty God at the intercession of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, preserve you from infections of the throat and from all other afflictions." Then the priest makes the sign of the cross over the faithful.

Who is Saint Blaise?

In The Acts of St. Blaise, written in Greek, includes the medieval legend in the Grande Encyclopédie as follows:

“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.

Celebrate Traditions! Celebrate Faith!

El 3 de febrero se celebra la fiesta de San Blas con una hermosa tradición, la bendición de la garganta. Para ello, el sacerdote consagra dos velas el día anterior, y luego coloca las velas en una posición cruzada en la garganta de la persona que está siendo bendecida. El sacerdote dice la siguiente bendición: “A través de la intercesión de San Blas, obispo y mártir, que Dios te libre de las dolencias de la garganta y de todo otro mal. En el nombre del Padre, y del Hijo, y. del Espíritu Santo. Amén”.

Se dice que San Blas un médico, que murió como un mártir de la fe en el año 316, bajo el reinado de Licinio; y que poco después de su muerte, fue aclamado y venerado como un santo. 

¡Celebremos nuestras tradiciones!

Maritza Martínez Mejía

Mother, Educator, Bilingual Author and Translator

Website:www.luzdelmes.com

Recipient of the Crystal Apple Award 2006, VCB Poetry Winner 2015, Author’s Talk Book Award 2016, The Latino Book Awards 2016 and Author’s Talk Book Show 2017.