St. Blaise

Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia, Blaise was martyred under Licinius. He is famous for healing a boy who was choking on a fishbone — the origin of the blessing of throats with crossed candles still given on his feast day, February 3.

According to legend, Blaise retreated to a cave during the persecutions, where wild animals came to him for healing and kept him company in his solitude. Hunters discovered him there, surrounded by beasts lying peacefully at his feet, and brought him before the governor to face trial.

He was tortured with iron wool-combs before being beheaded, which is why he became patron of wool combers and all who work with textiles. His cult spread rapidly through both East and West, and his feast remains one of the most popular blessing days in the Catholic calendar, with the faithful lining up each February for the crossed candles held gently at their throats.