Saint
Blaise devant le gouverneur romain : scène de la vie de saint Blaise,
évêque de Sébaste en Arménie, martyr sous le règne de l'empereur Licinius (IVe
siècle). Vitrail de la région de Soissons (Picardie, France), début du XIVe
siècle. Versement de l'Office des biens privés, 1951.
St.
Blaise confronting the Roman governor: Scene from the life of St. Blaise,
bishop of Sebaste (Armenia), martyr under the Roman emperor Licinius (4th
century). Stained glass window from the area of Soissons (Picardy, France),
early 13th century. Louvre Museum, Department of Decorative Arts,
Richelieu, first floor, room 2
San Biagio di fronte a un governatore romano, vetrata francese del XIII secolo
Saint Blaise, évêque
et martyr
Le culte de Saint Blaise,
évêque de Sébaste en Arménie et martyr (vers 320), se répandit en Occident à
partir du Xème siècle en raison des miracles que lui attribuait sa légende. De
nombreuses églises ont été mises sous son patronage.
.jpg)
Tabla
gótica (ca. 1400-1410) parte de un retablo existente en el Castillo de Tamarit. Muestra pinturas al
temple sobre la vida y martirio de San Blas, según la Leyenda Dorada.
Saint Blaise de Sébaste
Martyr en
Arménie (+ 316)
Il naquit, vécut et
mourut, dit-on, en Arménie.
Il était médecin quand il
fut choisit comme évêque de Sébaste. Il fit d'une caverne du mont Argée sa
résidence épiscopale et y guérissait aussi bien les hommes que les bêtes
sauvages. Ce pourquoi il fut remarqué par le gouverneur de la Cappadoce
qui avait besoin d'animaux sauvages qu'il devait livrer pour les jeux du
cirque. Il fit arrêter saint Blaise et voulut le noyer dans un étang. Ce qui ne
fut pas possible. Blaise marchait sur les eaux. Revenu sur la berge, il fut
décapité.
A lire: 'De
St Blaise à Jean Cocteau: le chemin de la simplicité' - diocèse de Metz.
L'église Saint-Eucaire de
Metz (quartier Outre-Seille) est chaque année le cadre du traditionnel
pèlerinage de la Saint Blaise. Près de 4 000 personnes y assistent, venant
vénérer les reliques de saint Blaise, sorties exceptionnellement le jour de la
fête de son martyr. Plus de 10 000 petits pains sont également bénis à cette
occasion.
A Metz, la fête de saint
Blaise trouve un nouveau sens. (saint-jacques.info)
"La croix
Saint-Blaise a retrouvé sa place (Savigny-sur-Clairis,
lYonne.fr, 23 août 2011), érigée en 1120, année où les reliques de saint
Blaise ont été ramenées d'Arménie par des pèlerins revenant de Palestine. Saint
Blaise a fortement marqué la paroisse au Moyen-âge: une source, une croix et
une maison portent alors son nom. Les pèlerins qui se rendaient à Saint-Jacques
de Compostelle, vénéraient particulièrement saint Blaise, dont on retrouve l'évocation
sur de très nombreuses étapes. Savigny en fait partie."
- L'église
de Mazille en Saône et Loire est dédiée à Saint Blaise de Sébaste.
Un internaute nous écrit:
"il sauva miraculeusement un enfant mourant d'un œdème à la gorge dû à une
arête de poisson."
Mémoire de saint Blaise,
évêque de Sébaste en Arménie et martyr, qui souffrit pour le nom de chrétien.
La tradition place son martyre sous l'empereur Licinius, vers 320.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/553/Saint-Blaise-de-Sebaste.html
.jpg)
Affresco da Santa Maria con San Biagio (XV secolo, Itri, chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo
Évêque et Martyr
(316)Saint Blaise fut l'un des saints autrefois les plus populaires et les plus
célèbres par l'efficacité de leur intercession. D'abord très habile médecin, et
en même temps très vertueux chrétien, il devint évêque de Sébaste, en Arménie,
par le choix du peuple, qui l'entourait d'une grande estime. Mais Blaise,
inspiré de Dieu, quitta bientôt son siège épiscopal pour s'enfuir sur une
montagne solitaire; il y avait pour compagnie les bêtes fauves qui venaient
chaque jour visiter et caresser l'homme de Dieu, et recevoir, avec sa
bénédiction, la guérison de leurs maux.
Il fut rencontré en son désert par des païens qui, surpris de trouver un homme
familièrement entouré de lions, de tigres, de loups et d'ours, allèrent
raconter cette nouvelle au gouverneur. Blaise saisi peu de temps après comme
chrétien, jusque dans son antre sauvage, exprima sa joie profonde, à la pensée
de souffrir pour Jésus-Christ. Arrivé devant le gouverneur: "Insensé, lui
dit-il, penses-tu me séparer de Dieu par tes tourments? Non, non, le Seigneur
est avec moi, c'est Lui qui me fortifie !"
Les bourreaux le frappèrent à coups de verges et le jetèrent en prison.
Quelques jours après, le martyr est rappelé au tribunal: "Choisis, Blaise,
lui dit le juge, choisis entre deux partis: ou bien adore nos dieux, et alors
tu seras notre ami, ou bien, si tu refuses, tu seras livré aux supplices et tu
périras d'une mort cruelle. -- Ces statues que tu adores, reprend l'évêque, ne
sont pas des dieux, mais les organes du démon, je ne puis donc les
adorer."
Le tyran, le voyant inflexible, ordonna de l'attacher à un chevalet, puis il
fit apporter des peignes de fer, avec lesquels on lui déchira le dos et tout le
corps. La victime, se tournant toute sanglante vers le gouverneur, lui dit:
"Déjà voisin du Ciel, je méprise toutes les choses de ce monde; je me ris
de vous et de vos supplices. Ces tourments ne dureront qu'un instant, tandis
que la récompense sera éternelle."
Après de nouveaux interrogatoires inutiles, Blaise fut jeté dans le lac voisin
pour y être noyé; mais il fit le signe de la Croix et marcha sur les eaux comme
sur un terrain solide, à la grande admiration de tous les spectateurs de ce
prodige. Le glorieux martyr eut enfin la tête tranchée.
Tandis qu'il était en prison on lui avait amené un enfant sur le point d'être
étouffé par une arête de poisson. Blaise le guérit. C'est sans doute pour ce
fait qu'on l'invoque spécialement pour les maux de gorge.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame,
1950.
SOURCE : http://www.magnificat.ca/cal/fran/02-03.htm
Giovanni Antonio Bellinzoni da Pesaro (1415–1477), Wunder des heiligen Blasius, 15th century, oil and tempera on wood, 59 x 42
Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise, Évêque de Sébaste en Arménie, participa
à l’œuvre de rédemption du Sauveur. « Les souffrances du Christ abondent
en lui » et après une vie de rude pénitence passée au milieu des bêtes
féroces dans une caverne du Mont Argée, il donna sa vie pour Jésus ».
Ayant subi sous Licinien les plus atroces tourments,
il eut ensuite la tête tranchée en l’an 316.
Comme le Rédempteur, saint Blaise guérit les corps en
même temps que les âmes ; aussi son culte fut-il toujours très populaire.
C’est ainsi qu’ayant sauvé la vie à un enfant qui se mourait parce qu’une arête
prise dans son gosier l’étouffait, l’Église lui reconnaît « la prérogative
de guérir toutes les affections de la gorge » (Rituel romain :
Bénédiction des cierges en la fête de saint Blaise, évêque et martyr).
Elle bénit à cet effet deux cierges et demande à Dieu,
pour tous ceux dont le cou en sera touché, qu’ils soient délivrés de leurs maux
de gorge ou de tout autre mal par les mérites de la passion de ce saint
Martyr.
C’est l’un des quatorze
« Saints Auxiliaires ». Participons avec saint Blaise aux
souffrances du Rédempteur afin de pouvoir participer avec Lui à Son
triomphe.
Saint Blaise fut l’un des Saints autrefois les plus
populaires et les plus célèbres par l’efficacité de leur intercession. D’abord
très habile médecin, et en même temps très vertueux Chrétien, il devint Évêque
de Sébaste, en Arménie, par le choix du peuple, qui l’entourait d’une grande
estime.
Mais saint Blaise, inspiré de Dieu, quitta bientôt son
siège épiscopal pour s’enfuir sur une montagne solitaire ; il y avait pour
compagnie les bêtes fauves qui venaient chaque jour visiter et caresser l’homme
de Dieu, et recevoir, avec sa bénédiction, la guérison de leurs maux. Il fut
rencontré en son désert par des païens qui, surpris de trouver un homme
familièrement entouré de lions, de tigres, de loups et d’ours, allèrent
raconter cette nouvelle au gouverneur.
Saint Blaise saisi peu de temps après comme Chrétien,
jusque dans son antre sauvage, exprima sa joie profonde, à la pensée de
souffrir pour Jésus-Christ. Arrivé devant le gouverneur : « Insensé,
lui dit-il, penses-tu me séparer de Dieu par tes tourments ? Non, non, le
Seigneur est avec moi, c’est Lui qui me fortifie ! » Les bourreaux le
frappèrent à coup de verges et le jetèrent en prison. Quelques jours après, le
Martyr est rappelé au tribunal :
« —Choisis, Blaise, lui dit le juge, choisis
entre deux partis : ou bien adore nos dieux, et alors tu seras notre ami,
ou bien, si tu refuses, tu seras livré aux supplices et tu périras d’une mort
cruelle.
« —Ces statues que vous adorez, reprend l’Évêque,
ne sont pas des dieux, mais les organes du démon, je ne puis donc les
adorer. »
Le tyran, le voyant inflexible, ordonna de l’attacher
à un chevalet, puis il fit apporter des peignes de fer, et on lui en déchira le
dos et tout le corps. La victime, se tournant toute sanglante vers le
gouverneur, lui dit :
« —Voilà ce que je désirais depuis longtemps :
mon âme arrachée à la terre et mon corps élevé en haut ! Déjà voisin du
Ciel, je méprise toutes les choses de ce monde, je me ris de vous et de vos
supplices. Ces tourments ne dureront qu’un instant, tandis que la récompense
sera éternelle. »
Après de nouveaux interrogatoires inutiles, saint
Blaise fut jeté dans le lac voisin pour y être noyé ; mais il fit le signe
de la croix et marcha sur les eaux comme sur un terrain solide, à la grande
admiration de tous les spectateurs de ce prodige. Le glorieux Martyr eut enfin
la tête tranchée. C’était l’an 316, saint Sylvestre Ier étant pape et
Constantin empereur romain.
Tandis qu’il était en prison, on lui avait amené un
enfant sur le point d’être étouffé par une arête de poisson. Saint Blaise le
guérit. C’est sans doute pour ce fait qu’on l’invoque spécialement pour les
maux de gorge.
BÉNÉDICTION DES CIERGES EN LA FÊTE DE SAINT BLAISE
PRIONS. - Dieu tout-puissant, pour la confession de
qui le glorieux Martyr et Pontife Blaise, ne craignant pas les différents
genres de tourments, a conquis heureusement la palme du martyre ;
Vous qui lui avez accordé, entre autres grâces, de guérir par Votre vertu les
maux de la gorge, nous prions humblement Votre majesté de ne pas considérer nos
fautes mais, apaisé par les mérites et les prières de ce Saint, de daigner
bénir et sanctifier, dans Votre grande bonté, cette créature de cire en la
remplissant de Votre grâce ; afin que tous ceux dont les cous seront
touchés en bonne Foi par cette cire, soient guéris de tous maux de gorge par
les mérites de sa passion. Que dans Votre Sainte Église, guéris et remplis
de joie, ils Vous rendent des actions de grâces et louent Votre Nom
glorieux qui est béni dans les siècles des siècles. Ainsi soit-il.
Pinturas
sobre tablas de San Antón y San
Blas, circa 1460, círculo de Juan Sánchez, pintor activo en Burgos
(1440-1470).
SAINT BLAISE *
Blaise pourrait venir de
blandus doux, ou de Belasius, bela signifie habitude et syor, petit. En effet
saint Blaise fut doux en ses discours ; il eut l’habitude des vertus et il se
fit petit par l’humilité de sa conduite.
Blaise excellait en
douceur et en sainteté, ce qui le fit élire parles chrétiens évêque de Sébaste;
ville de Cappadoce. Après avoir reçu l’épiscopat, il se retira dans une caverne
où il mena. la vie érémitique, à cause de la persécution de Dioclétien
(Bréviaire). Les oiseaux lui apportaient sa nourriture, et s'attroupaient
véritablement ensemble autour de lui, et ne le quittaient que quand il avait
levé les mains pour les bénir. Si quelqu'un d'eux avait du mal, il venait
aussitôt à lui et retournait parfaitement guéri. Le gouverneur du pays avait
envoyé des soldats pour chasser ; et après s'être fatigués longtemps en vain,
ils vinrent par hasard à l’antre de saint Blaise, où ils trouvèrent une grande
multitude de bêtes rangées devant lui. Or, n'ayant pu prendre aucune d'elles,
ils furent remplis d'étonnement et rapportèrent cela à leur maître, qui
aussitôt envoya plusieurs soldats avec ordre de lui amener Blaise avec tous les
chrétiens. Mais cette nuit-là même, J.-C. était apparu au saint par trois fois
en lui disant : « Lève-toi et offre-moi le sacrifice. » Voici que les soldats
arrivèrent et lui dirent : « Sors d'ici, le gouverner t'appelle. » Saint Blaise
répondit : « Soyez les bienvenus, mes enfants ; je vois à présent que Dieu ne
m’a pas oublié. » Pendant le trajet, qu'il fit avec eux, il ne cessa de
prêcher, et en leur présence il opéra beaucoup de miracles. Une femme apporta
aux pieds du saint son fils qui était mourant d'un os de poisson arrêté dans la
gorge ; elle lui demanda avec larmes la guérison de son enfant. Saint Blaise
lui imposa les mains et fit une prière pour que cet enfant, aussi bien que tous
ceux qui demanderaient quoi que ce fût en son nom, obtinssent le bienfait de la
santé; et sur-le-champ, il fut guéri (Bréviaire).
Une pauvre femme n'avait
qu'un seul pourceau qu'un loup lui ravit; et elle priait saint Blaise de lui
faire rendre son pourceau. Il lui dit en souriant : « Femme, ne te désole pas :
ton pourceau te sera rendu. » Et aussitôt le loup vint et rendit la bête à
cette veuve. Or, saint Blaise ne fut pas plutôt entré dans la ville que, par
ordre du prince; il fut jeté en prison. Le jour suivant, le Gouverneur le fit
comparaître devant lui. En le voyant, il le salua en lui adressant ces paroles
flatteuses : « Blaise, l’ami des dieux, soyez le bienvenu. » Blaise lui
répondit : « Honneur et joie à vous, illustre gouverneur; mais n'appelez pas
dieux ceux qui sont des démons, parce qu'ils seront livrés au feu éternel avec
ceux qui les honorent. » Le gouverneur irrité le fit meurtrir à coups de bâton,
puis rejeter en prison. Blaise lui dit: « Insensé, tu espères donc par tes
supplices enlever de mon coeur l’amour de mon Dieu qui me fortifie lui-même ? »
Or, la veuve à laquelle il avait fait rendre son pourceau, entendit cela ; elle
tua l’animal, et en porta la tête et les pieds, avec une chandelle et du pain,
à saint Blaise. Il l’en remercia, mangea, et lui dit : « Tous les ans, offre
une chandelle à une église qui porte mon nom, et tu en retireras bonheur, toi,
et ceux qui t'imiteront. » Ce qu'elle ne manqua pas de faire; et il en résulta
en sa faveur une grande prospérité. Après quoi, le gouverneur fit tirer Blaise
de sa prison ; et comme il ne le pouvait amener à honorer les dieux, il ordonna
de le suspendre à un, arbre et de déchirer sa chair avec des peignes de fer;
ensuite il le fit reporter en prison.
Or, sept femmes qui le
suivirent dans le trajet ramassaient les gouttes de son sang. On se saisit
d'elles aussitôt et on les força de sacrifier aux dieux. Elles dirent : « Si tu
veux que nous adorions tes dieux, fais-les porter avec révérence à l’étang afin
qu'après avoir été lavés, ils soient plus propres quand nous les adorerons, »
Le gouverneur devient: joyeux et fait exécuter au plus vite ce qu'elles ont
demandé. Mais elles prirent les dieux et les jetèrent au milieu de l’étang, en
disant : « Si ce sont des dieux, nous le verrons. » A ces mots le gouverneur
devint fou de colère et se frappant lui-même, il dit à ses gardés : « Pourquoi
n'avez-vous pas tenu nos dieux afin qu'ils ne fussent pas jetés au fond du lac?
» Ils répondirent : « Vous vous êtes laissé mystifier par les paroles
trompeuses de ces: femmes et elles les ont jetés dans l’étang. » «Le vrai Dieu
n'autorise pas les tromperies, reprirent-elles ; mais s'ils étaient des dieux,
ils auraient certainement prévu ce que nous leur voulions faire. » Le
gouverneur irrité fit préparer du plomb fondu, des peignes de fer; de plus, il
fit préparer d'un- côté sept cuirasses rougies au feu, et il fit placer d'un
autre côté sept chemises de lin. Il leur dit de choisir ce qu'elles
préféraient; alors une d'entre elles, qui avait deux jeunes enfants, accourut
avec audace, prit les chemises et les jeta dans le foyer, ces enfants dirent à
leur mère « O mère chérie, ne nous laisses pas vivre après toi; mais de même
que tu nous as rassasiés de la douceur de ton lait, rassasie-nous encore de la
douceur du royaume du ciel » Alors le gouverneur commanda de les suspendre et
de réduire leurs chairs en lanières avec des peignes de fer. Or, leur chair
avait la blancheur éclatante de la neige et au lieu, de sang il en coulait du
lait. Comme elles, enduraient les supplices avec répugnance, un ange du
Seigneur vint vers elles et leur communiqua une force virile en disant : « Ne
craignez point : un bon ouvrier qui commence bien et qui mène son œuvre à bien,
mérite la bénédiction de celui qui le fait travailler; pour ce qu'il a fait, il
reçoit le prix de son labeur, et il est joyeux de posséder son salaire. » Alors
le gouverneur les fit détacher et jeter dans le foyer; mais Dieu permit que le
feu s'éteignit et qu'elles sortissent sans avoir éprouvé aucune douleur. Le
gouverneur leur dit : « Cessez donc d'employer la magie et adorez nos dieux. »
Elles répondirent : « Achève ce que tu as commencé, parce que déjà nous sommes
appelées au royaume céleste. » Alors il porta une sentence par laquelle elles
devaient avoir la tête tranchée. Au moment où elles allaient être décapitées,
elles se mirent à genoux et adorèrent Dieu en disant : « O Dieu qui nous, avez
ôtées des ténèbres et qui nous, avez amenées à cette très douce lumière, qui
nous avez choisies pour vous être sacrifiées, recevez nos âmes et faites-nous
parvenir à la vie éternelle. » Elles eurent donc la tête tranchée et passèrent
au Seigneur.
Après cela, le gouverneur
se fit présenter saint Blaise et lui dit : « Adore à l’instant nos dieux, ou ne
les adore pas. » Blaise lui répondit : « Impie, je ne crains pas tes menaces ;
fais ce que tu veux; je te livre mon corps tout entier. » Alors il le fit jeter
dans l’étang. Mais saint Blaise fit le signe de la croix sur l’eau qui
s'endurcit immédiatement comme une terre sèche ; et il dit « Si vos dieux, sont
de vrais dieux, faites-nous voir leur puissance et entrez ici. » Et
soixante-cinq qui s'avancèrent furent aussitôt engloutis dans l’étang. Mais il
descendit un ange du Seigneur qui dit au saint: « Sors, Blaise, et reçois la
couronne que Dieu t'a préparée. » Quand il fut sorti, le gouverneur lui dit : «
Tu es donc bien déterminé à ne pas adorer les dieux? » «Apprends, misérable,
répondit Blaise, que je suis le serviteur de J.-C. et que je n'adore pas les
démons. » Et à l’instant l’ordre fut donné de le décapiter Quant à Blaise, il
pria le Seigneur que si quelqu'un réclamait son patronage pour le mal 'de
gorge, ou pour toute autre infirmité, il méritât aussitôt d'être exaucé. Et
voici qu'une voix du ciel se fit entendre à lui, qu'il serait fait comme il
avait demandé. Ainsi fut décapité ce saint(Bréviaire) avec deux petits enfants,
vers l’an du Seigneur 283.
* Tiré de ses Actes.
La Légende dorée de
Jacques de Voragine nouvellement traduite en français avec introduction,
notices, notes et recherches sur les sources par l'abbé J.-B. M. Roze, chanoine
honoraire de la Cathédrale d'Amiens, Édouard Rouveyre, éditeur, 76, rue de
Seine, 76, Paris mdccccii
SOURCE : http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/voragine/tome01/040.htm
Bicci
di Lorenzo, San Biagio, 1445 ca. European paintings in the Indianapolis
Museum of Art
Saint Blaise
La passion latine
de St Blaise indique le 3 février pour sa mort et c’est à ce jour
qu’il apparaît dans les calendriers au IXe siècle, tandis que les byzantins le
fêtent le 11.
A partir du Xe et du XIe
siècles, son culte connu une exceptionnelle diffusion due à un passage de sa
passion, et à la bénédiction des cierges pour guérir les maux de gorges.
A Rome la première
mention du saint est de 955 par une bulle du pape Agapit II.
Leçons des Matines avant
1960
Troisième leçon. Blaise
brillait par toutes les vertus, à Sébaste en Arménie, lorsqu’il fut élu Évêque
de cette ville. A l’époque où Dioclétien exerçait son insatiable cruauté contre
les Chrétiens, le Saint se retira dans une caverne du mont Argée, et il y
demeura caché jusqu’à ce que, découvert par les soldats du gouverneur Agricola
qui se livraient à la chasse, il fut conduit devant ce magistrat et jeté, par
son ordre, en prison. Là il guérit beaucoup de malades qu’on lui amenait à
cause de sa réputation de sainteté ; parmi ces malades se trouva un enfant qui
se mourait parce qu’une arête s’était fixée transversalement dans sa gorge :
les médecins avaient désespéré de le guérir. Blaise comparut à deux reprises
devant le gouverneur, et comme ni les flatteries ni les menaces ne pouvaient le
déterminer à sacrifier aux idoles, il fut d’abord battu de verges, ensuite
déchiré avec des peignes de fer sur le chevalet ; il eut enfin la tête
tranchée, et donna ainsi un glorieux témoignage de sa foi au Christ, notre
Seigneur, le trois des nones de février.
Martín Bernat. San Blas, circa 1480, 192 x 93, Saragossa Museum
Dom Guéranger, l’Année
Liturgique
Maintenant que l’Église a
clos pour nous la touchante Quarantaine de la Naissance du Sauveur, et qu’elle
nous a ouvert la source des fortes et sérieuses méditations qui doivent nous
préparer pour la pénitence, chaque Fête des Bienheureux doit nous apporter une
impression propre à nourrir en nous l’esprit de ce saint Temps. Dans la période
dont nous sortons, tous les amis de Dieu que nous avions à fêter, nous
apparaissaient rayonnants des joies de la Naissance de l’Emmanuel ; ils
formaient sa cour radieuse et triomphante. D’ici à la Résurrection du Fils de
Dieu, nous aimerons à les considérer surtout dans les labeurs du pèlerinage de
cette vie. Ce qui nous importe aujourd’hui, c’est de voir et d’étudier comment
ils ont vaincu le monde et la chair. « Ils allaient, dit le Psalmiste, et ils
jetaient la semence sur le sillon, l’arrosant de leurs pleurs ; mais ils
reviendront dans l’allégresse, chargés des gerbes que leurs sueurs auront
produites [1]. » Espérons qu’il en sera de même pour nous, à la fin de cette laborieuse
carrière, et que le Christ ressuscité nous saluera comme ses membres vivants et
renouvelés. Dans la période que nous avons présentement à traverser, les
Martyrs abondent, et nous débutons aujourd’hui par un des plus célèbres.
Sébaste, en Arménie, fut honorée par ses vertus pastorales et par sa glorieuse
Passion ; bientôt la même ville nous fournira dans un seul jour quarante
soldats Martyrs. La dévotion envers saint Blaise est demeurée très vive en
Orient, surtout en Arménie, et son culte, introduit de bonne heure dans les
Églises de l’Occident, y a toujours été très populaire. Sa fête n’étant
néanmoins que du degré simple, l’Église Romaine n’a consacré à son honneur que
la courte Légende que nous donnons ici.
Blaise fleurissait en
toute sorte de vertus à Sébaste en Arménie, lorsqu’il fut élu évêque de cette
ville. Au temps où Dioclétien exerçait son insatiable cruauté contre les
Chrétiens, le saint se retira dans une caverne du mont Argée, où il demeura
caché jusqu’à ce qu’ayant été découvert par des soldats du gouverneur
Agricolaüs, qui se livraient à la chasse, il fut conduit devant ce magistrat et
jeté en prison par son ordre. Là, il guérit plusieurs malades qu’on lui amena,
à cause de la réputation de sainteté dont il jouissait, et entre autres un
enfant qui se mourait pour avoir avalé une arête qui lui était demeurée de
travers dans le gosier, en sorte que les médecins désespéraient de le sauver.
Biaise comparut deux fois devant le gouverneur, sans que l’on pût, ni par
caresses, ni par menaces, le persuader de sacrifier aux idoles. Il fut donc
d’abord battu de verges, ensuite déchiré avec des peignes de fer sur le
chevalet, et enfin il eut la tête tranchée, rendant un glorieux témoignage au
Seigneur Jésus-Christ, le trois des nones de février.
Nous unissons nos voix au
concert de louanges que vous adressent toutes les Églises qui sont sous le
ciel, ô glorieux Martyr ! En retour de nos hommages, du sommet de la gloire où
vous régnez, abaissez vos regards sur nous, et voyez les fidèles de la chrétienté
tout entière qui se préparent aux saintes expiations de la pénitence, et qui
songent à revenir au Seigneur leur Dieu par les larmes et la componction.
Souvenez-vous de vos propres combats, et assistez-nous dans le travail de
renouvellement que nous allons entreprendre. Vous n’avez pas craint les
tourments de la mort ; et quelque rude qu’ait été l’épreuve, vous l’avez subie
avec courage. Obtenez-nous la constance dans une carrière moins périlleuse. Nos
ennemis ne sont rien auprès de ceux qu’il vous a fallu vaincre ; mais ils sont
perfides, et si nous les ménageons, ils peuvent nous abattre. Obtenez-nous le
secours divin par lequel vous avez triomphé. Nous sommes les fils des Martyrs ;
que leur sang ne dégénère pas en nous. Souvenez-vous aussi, saint Pontife, des
heureuses contrées que vous arrosâtes de votre sang. La foi pour laquelle vous
avez donné votre vie s’y était altérée ; des jours meilleurs semblent briller
enfin. Par vos prières paternelles, rendez l’Arménie à l’Église catholique, et
consolez, par le retour de leurs frères, les fidèles qui ont su s’y conserver
orthodoxes, parmi tant de périls.
[1] Psalm. CXXV.
Hans Memling, San Biagio, 1491, Altartriptychon aus dem Lübecker Dom, heute im St. Annen-Museum, Lubecca
Bhx Cardinal Schuster, Liber Sacramentorum
Ce saint évêque,
martyrisé à Sébaste de Cappadoce sous Licinius, est entré dans le calendrier
romain vers le XIe siècle, en raison du grand développement que prit alors son
culte dans la Ville éternelle, où s’élevèrent en son honneur trente-cinq
églises au moins. La plus célèbre était celle ad caput seccutae, près de
l’actuelle via Giulia, et qui, refaite en 1072 par l’abbé Dominique, atteint
une telle renommée qu’elle fut mise au nombre des vingt-quatre abbayes
privilégiées de Rome.
Voici la curieuse
épigraphe léonine qui rappelle la construction de cette église :
HOC • FVIT • INCOEPTVM •
RENOVARI • TEMPORE • TEMPLVM
VRBIS • ALEXANDRI •
ROMANI • PRAESVLIS • ANNIS
ANNVS • ERAT • DVODENVS •
ET • IPSE • SECVNDVS
ANNVS • MILLENVS •
GEMINVS • TVNC • SEPTVAGENVS
TEMPORE • QVO • VERBVM •
CONCEPIT • VIRGO • SVPERNVM
ANNVS • IN • AVGVSTO •
CVRREBAT • MENSE • PERVSTO
SEXTA • DIADENA • ET •
FVERAT • INDICTIO • DENA
ABBAS • DOMINICVS •
MERITIS • ET • NOMINE • DIGNVS
HANC • AEDEM • COEPIT •
PLENE • COMPLEVIT • ET IDEM
HICQVE • CRVCIS • LIGNVM
• POSVIT • VENERABILE • DIGNVM
ET • VESTEM • DIVAE •
GENITRICIS • QVIPPE • MARIAE
ANDREAS • SCI • BLASII •
DARIAEQVE • CRISANTHI
PAPAE • SYLVESTRI •
DIONYSII • NECNON • SEVERI
HONORI • STEPHANI • MARCI
• MARCELLIQVE
TRANQV1LLINI • NICOSTRATI
• CAESARISQVE
AC • AQVILAE • NEREI •
VEL • ACHILLEI
VEL • ERASMI • ATQVE •
CATHARINAE • SEV • SANCTORVM • XL • SCE • CAECILIAE
PRISCAE • ZOESQVE •
SOPHIAE
HAE • SVNT • RELIQVIAE •
QVIBVS • ALMVS • FIT • LOCVS • ISTE
NECNON • MVLTORVM •
NESCIMVS • NOMINA • QVORVM
Les Orientaux célèbrent
la fête de ce célèbre évêque de Sébaste le 11 février.
On dit que l’on conserve,
dans la basilique vaticane, parmi les saintes reliques, la gorge du Martyr,
transportée là sous Eugène IV, de l’abbaye ad caput seccutae, où on la conservait
auparavant. Dans une autre église de la région Arenula, S. Blasius arcariorum,
on conservait au moyen âge — du moins le croyait-on alors — l’anneau épiscopal
du saint, aujourd’hui gardé dans l’église de Saint-Charles a’ Catinari, qui lui
a succédé à peu près sur le même emplacement.
La messe est entièrement
celle du Commun des martyrs pontifes, Sacerdótes Dei.
Katholische
Kapelle St. Blasius in Kaufbeuren in Schwaben (Bayern/Deutschland),
Bildzyklus Leben des heiligen Blasius, aus der Zeit zwischen 1485 und 1490
Panel
paintings depicting the life of St Blasius, Church of St. Blasius, Kaufbeuren
Panel paintings depicting the life of St Blasius, Church of St. Blasius, Kaufbeuren
Panel paintings depicting the life of St Blasius, Church of St. Blasius, Kaufbeuren
Dom Pius Parsch, le Guide
dans l’année liturgique
Bénédiction de saint
Blaise.
1. Saint Blaise. — Jour
de mort : 3 février, vers 316. Tombeau : à Paris. Image : On le représente en
évêque avec un séran de fer (l’instrument de son supplice), avec deux cierges
dans la main. Sa vie : Le martyrologe relate : « A Sébaste, en Arménie (Asie
Mineure), la mort de saint Blaise, évêque et martyr ; il avait accompli
plusieurs miracles, quand le gouverneur Agricolaus le fit battre très longtemps
de verges et le fit étendre sur un chevalet de bois. Là, avec des peignes de
fer, on lui arracha la chair des os et ensuite on l’enferma dans un horrible cachot.
Après avoir essayé en vain de le noyer dans un lac, le juge dont on a parlé le
fit décapiter avec deux jeunes compagnons. Déjà avant lui, sept femmes, qu’on
avait arrêtées comme chrétiennes, au moment où elles recueillaient, comme une
relique, le sang du martyr qui coulait à terre, furent mises à mort par le
glaive, après de terribles tortures. » (Cette relation est en grande partie
légendaire). Blaise, avant son élévation à l’épiscopat, exerçait la médecine
et, en imitation du Sauveur, l’unissait, pour des motifs de zèle pastoral, au
ministère sacerdotal. Il souffrit probablement sous Licinius (316). Il compte,
comme thaumaturge, parmi les quatorze saints auxquels on a recours dans les
besoins extrêmes ; on l’invoque particulièrement dans la détresse spirituelle
causée par des péchés graves non avoués, ainsi que contre les maux de gorge. On
recourt à lui, dans ce dernier cas, à cause de la guérison miraculeuse d’un
enfant qui avait avalé une arête de poisson. C’est pour la même raison que,
dans nos régions, on donne, le jour de sa fête, la bénédiction de saint Blaise,
contre tous les maux de gorge.
2. La messe (Sacerdótes
Dei). — La messe est la seconde du commun d’un martyr pontife. L’entrée du
cortège sacerdotal symbolise le vénérable évêque. L’Église exhorte non
seulement les prêtres mais encore les laïcs de cœur saint et humble » à louer
Dieu et, dans le Benedicite qui suit, toute la création s’unit à ce chant de
louange. Les deux lectures représentent le martyr, toutes deux sont riches
d’enseignements. Immédiatement après la profession solennelle de saint Pierre,
près de Césarée de Philippe, Notre Seigneur entreprend de préparer les siens à
sa mort sur la Croix. Il prédit pour la première fois sa Passion et donne son
premier sermon de la Croix. Dans ce sermon, il fait un pas de plus. Il ne
suffit qu’il souffre lui-même, ses disciples doivent, eux aussi, se charger de
leur croix et le suivre. L’Église nous adresse ce sermon de la Croix en la fête
de notre saint martyr pontife, car celui-ci l’a mis en pratique dans sa vie. Il
s’est renoncé lui-même, il s’est chargé de la croix et il a haï sa vie sur la
terre, c’est pourquoi, il a part à la promesse : le Fils de l’Homme viendra
dans la majesté de son Père, entouré de ses anges et il donnera la récompense
(Év.). Notre saint, au jour de sa mort, a vu le Seigneur venir à lui. A
l’Épître, le saint martyr se tient devant nous et nous dit : ce n’est qu’en
participant à mes souffrances que vous aurez part à ma « consolation ». Ainsi,
nous déposons, à l’Offertoire, notre croix sur l’autel et nous recevons, à la
Communion, le gage de la céleste « couronne ornée de pierres précieuses »
(Comm.).
3. Les sacramentaux. — Aujourd’hui, l’Église nous donne la bénédiction de saint Blaise. Ceci nous invite à penser aux bénédictions. L’amour maternel de l’Église ne se manifeste pas seulement dans les riches dons, qu’elle nous accorde à pleines mains dans le Sacrifice eucharistique, dans les sacrements et dans le Saint-Office ; il se montre encore dans le souci qu’elle a de nos petits besoins journaliers. Elle nous suit dans nos occupations les plus simples et nous aide dans nos besoins personnels. Et cela, elle le fait au moyen des sacramentaux, que nous appelons aussi bénédictions. Nous Pouvons distinguer trois sortes de sacramentaux : ceux qui nous facilitent la voie de la sainteté, ceux qui rehaussent pour nous le culte divin et ceux qui nous accompagnent dans la vie quotidienne. Les premiers sont les bénédictions d’objets qui servent au culte ; ce dont on se sert pour Dieu doit être séparé du monde qui se trouve encore sous la malédiction du péché, mis à part et sanctifié. Les seconds ont pour objet de donner au culte divin plus d’attrait et d’édification pour notre foi ; à ce second genre appartiennent : tout l’ensemble des cérémonies, l’encens, les lumières, l’eau bénite, les ornements et les vases précieux. Le troisième groupe essaie de faire dériver le flot de la Rédemption jusque dans les occupations ordinaires de la vie de chaque jour. Ce dernier groupe n’est pas encore assez connu et honoré. L’Église a, pour presque chaque objet d’usage dans la vie, pour chaque action et chaque démarche du chrétien, une bénédiction spéciale, pour chaque mal, un adoucissement et une guérison. Dans cette catégorie rentrent : la bénédiction de saint Blaise d’aujourd’hui, en partie la bénédiction des cierges d’hier, la bénédiction des maisons le jour de l’Épiphanie, la bénédiction du vin à la fête de Saint-Jean, la bénédiction des aliments à Pâques, etc. Assurément le chrétien obéit à la parole du Seigneur : « Cherchez d’abord le royaume de Dieu », la vie divine de la grâce est ce qui lui tient le plus au cœur et il se soumet de bon gré à la volonté de Dieu même lorsque quelque désagrément le menace ; mais il sait aussi que la seconde partie de la parole du Sauveur s’applique à lui : « tout le reste vous sera donné par surcroît. »
SOURCE : http://www.introibo.fr/03-02-St-Blaise-eveque-et-martyr#nh1
San Blas en prisión confortado por Cristo, Tabla del Retablo del Hospital de San Millán de los Palmeros (Amusco). Museo de Palencia
Also
known as
Biagio
Blase
Blasius
Blasien
Blaize
Profile
Physician. Bishop of
Sebaste, Armenia.
Lived in a cave on Mount Argeus. Healer of
men and animals;
according to legend, sick
animals would come to him on their own for help, but would never
disturb him at prayer.
Agricola, governor of Cappadocia,
came to Sebaste to persecute Christians.
His huntsmen went
into the forests of Argeus to find wild animals for
the arena games, and found many waiting outside Blaise’s cave. Discovered
in prayer, Blaise
was arrested,
and Agricola tried to get him to recant his faith. While
in prison,
Blaise ministered to and healed fellow prisoners,
including saving a child who
was choking on a fish bone; this led to the blessing of throats on
Blaise’s feast day.
Thrown into a lake
to drown,
Blaise stood on the surface and invited his persecutors to walk out and prove
the power of their gods; they drowned. When he returned to land, he was martyred by
being beaten, his flesh torn with wool combs (which led
to his association with and patronage of those involved in the wool trade), and
then beheading.
Blaise has been extremely
popular for centuries in both the Eastern and
Western Churches. In 1222 the Council
of Oxford prohibited servile labour in England on
his feast.
He is one of the Fourteen
Holy Helpers
Born
flesh
torn by iron wool-combs, then beheaded c.316
musicians
who play wind instruments
physicians (especially ear, nose and throat specialists)
in Croatia
Dubrovnik,
city of
in Germany
in Italy
Castelnuovo,
Sassocorvaro Auditore
Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, diocese of
in Spain
in Switzerland
wool comb representing
the item used to torture him
iron comb
man with two candles
two candles
two crossed candles
Storefront
medals and pendants –
( part
1 ) ( part
2 ) ( part
3 )
Additional
Information
A
Garner of Saints, by Allen Banks Hinds, M.A.
Acts
of the Early Martyrs, by Father James
A M Fastré, S.J.
Book of
Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Book
of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie Farwell Brown
Golden
Legend, by Jacobus
de Voragine
Handbook
of Christian Feasts and Customs, by Francis X Weiser, SJ
Legends
of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, by Father Bonaventure
Hammer
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Saints
and Their Symbols, by E A Greene
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Short
Lives of the Saints, by Eleanor Cecilia Donnelly
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
Oxford Dictionary of Saints, by David Hugh Farmer
Saints
and Their Attributes, by Helen Roeder
Some Patron Saints, by
Padraic Gregory
other
sites in english
1001 Patron Saints and Their Feast Days, Australian
Catholic Truth Society
images
video
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
Martirologio Romano, 2005 edition
websites
in nederlandse
spletne
strani v slovenšcini
Readings
Through the intercession
of Saint 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. – blessing of Saint Blaise
MLA
Citation
“Saint Blaise“. CatholicSaints.Info.
16 June 2024. Web. 21 August 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-blaise/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-blaise/
.JPG)
Statue
of St. Blasius on the facade of the cathedral of Dubrovnik
St. Blaise
Feastday: February 3
Patron: of throat illnesses, animals, wool combers, and wool trading
Death: 316
Saint Blaise was the
bishop of Sebastea and a doctor. The first known record of the saint's life
comes from the medical writings of Aëtius Amidenus, where he is recorded as
helping with patients suffering from objects stuck in their throat. Many of the
miraculous aspects of St. Blaise’s life are written of 400 years after his
martyrdom in the “Acts of St. Blaise.”
Saint Blaise is believed
to begin as a healer then, eventually, became a "physician of souls."
He then retired to a cave, where he remained in prayer. People often turned to
Saint Blaise for healing miracles.
In 316, the governor of
Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, Agricola, arrested then-bishop Blaise for
being a Christian. On their way to the jail, a woman set her only son, who was
chocking to death on a fish bone, at his feet.
Blaise cured the child,
and though Agricola was amazed, he could not get Blaise to renounce his faith.
Therefore, Agricola beat Blaise with a stick and tore at his flesh with iron
combs before beheading him.
In another tale, Blaise
was being led to the prison in Sebastea, and on the way came across a poor old
woman whose pig had been stolen by a wolf. Blaise commanded the wolf return the
pig, which it did -alive and uninjured - to the amazement of all.
When he reached Sebastea,
the woman came to him and brought two fine wax candles in an attempt to dispel
the gloom of his darkened cell.
In the Middle Ages,
Blaise became quite popular and his legend as a beast tamer spread. He was then
referred to as the "saint of the wild beast."
Many German churches are
dedicated to Saint Blaise, sometimes called Saint Blasius.
In Great Britain, the
village of St. Blazey got its name from Saint Blaise, and a church dedicated to
the saint can be found in Decon hamlet of Haccombe, near Newton Abbot.
There is a Saint Blaise's
Well in Kent, and the water is believed to have medicinal properties. A
Blessing of the Throats ceremony is held every February 3 at Saint Etheldreda's
Church in Londan and Balve, Germany.
A Catholic middle school
was named after Saint Blaise in Bradford, West Yorkshire. The name was decided
upon when the link between Bradford and the woolen industry was connected to
the way St. Blaise was martyred: with woolcomb.
Saint Blaise is often
depicted holding two crossed candles in his hand, or in a cave with wild animals.
He is also often shown with steel combs. The similarity of the steel combs and
the wool combs made a large contribution to Saint Blaise's leadership as the
patron saint of wool combers and the wool trade.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=28
The Church of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik
Blaise of Sebaste BM (RM)
(also known as Blase, Blasien, Blasius, Biagio)
Died c. 316. As someone who loves to sing and suffers from frequent sore
throats, I always look forward to the feast of Saint Blaise. Since the 16th
century, the throats of the faithful are blessed on this day using the
sacramental of two crossed or intertwined candles. I hope this is still
customary in all Catholic churches. The reason for Blaise's patronage of
throats is that he reportedly revived a boy who choked to death on a fishbone
(in some versions he raised the already dead boy). The candles used during the
blessing are derived from the candles brought to Blaise in prison by the
grateful mother. (I also wonder if there is some significance to the candles
that were blessed the day before at Candlemas--Feast of the Presentation--being
used to bless?) In the acta of Saint Eustratius, who perished in 303 under
Diocletian, it is said that Blaise received his relics, deposited them with
those of Saint Orestes, and executed every article of his last will and
testament. This is all that can be confirmed of Saint Blaise with any accuracy
as there is no evidence of a cultus for Blaise prior to the 8th century.
According to Blaise's legendary acta, which date no earlier than the 8th
century, he was born into a rich and noble family, received a Christian
education, and was consecrated a bishop of Sebaste, Cappadocia (now Armenia),
while still quite young. Blaise was a physician in Sebaste, as well as bishop.
As a doctor Blaise went into every home at all hours of the day and night, knew
both the rich and the poor, comforted, cured, and advised them all. As a
bishop, he did the same thing.
When the governor of
Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia, Agricolaus, began persecuting Christians, Bishop
Blaise of Sebastea hid in a cave where the wild beasts, including lions,
tigers, and bears, tended him because he cared for them whenever they were
hurt. His hiding place was discovered by hunters seeking animals for the
amphitheatre, who observed him curing sick and wounded animals. Because the
wild animals were so tame around him, they thought that Blaise was a wizard and
wanted to present him as such to the governor.
As he was being brought
to Governor Agricolaus, a poor woman appealed for help because a wolf had taken
her pig and Blaise persuaded the wolf to release the pig unharmed. Blaise was
presented to the governor, who had him scourged and decided to starve Blaise to
death in prison. But his plans were thwarted when the grateful woman secretly
brought Blaise food and candles to dispel the darkness of his gloomy prison.
When it was discovered that Blaise was still alive, the governor ordered
soldiers to rake away the saint's skin with a woolcomb, and then Blaise was
beheaded.
This is only one version
of Blaise's story. In another he is repeatedly tortured, but refuses to give
in. He is thrown into a nearby lake, but the waters remain frozen like ice,
unwilling to be an accomplice in the death of this holy man. So, he is finally
killed by the sword. Canterbury claimed his relics, and at least four miracles
were said to have occurred at his shrine, one dated 1451. Parson Woodforde
described a solemn procession in his honor at Norwich on March 24, 1783
(Attwater, Attwater2, Benedictines, Bentley, Coulson, Delaney, Encyclopedia,
Farmer, Sheppard, Tabor, Walsh, White).
In art he is a bishop
with a metal comb and a tall candle. Sometimes he may be shown: (1) with
crozier and two candles (no comb); (2) martyred by being torn with iron combs;
(3) in a cave with wild animals; (4) discovered by hunters, a fawn near him
(not to be confused with the monk, Saint Giles); (5) blessing the birds in
front of a cave; (6) rescuing a poor woman's pig from a wolf; (6) saving the
life of a boy who swallowed a fishbone; or (7) with the city of Dubrovnik in
his hand or being carried over the city by angels (Roeder). The following
images of Blase can be found on the web:
Saint Blaise is the
patron of wild animals (Coulson), physicians, sick cattle, wax-chandlers, and
woolcombers. He is invoked against afflictions of the throat (Bentley, Roeder).
Water with the blessing of Saint Blaise is also given to sick cattle (Farmer).
As one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, Saint Blaise was much venerated throughout
Central Europe.
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0203.shtml
St. Blaise
Many Catholics might remember Saint Blaise’s feast day because of the Blessing
of the Throats that took place on this day. Two candles are blessed, held
slightly open, and pressed against the throat as the blessing is said. Saint
Blaise’s protection of those with throat troubles apparently comes from a
legend that a boy was brought to him who had a fishbone stuck in his throat.
The boy was about to die when Saint Blaise healed him.
Very few facts are known about Saint Blaise. We believe he was a bishop of Sebastea
in Armenia who was martyred under the reign of Licinius in the early fourth
century.
The legend of his life that sprang up in the eighth century tell us that he was
born in to a rich and noble family who raised him as a Christian. After
becoming a bishop, a new persecution of Christians began. He received a message
from God to go into the hills to escape persecution. Men hunting in the
mountains discovered a cave surrounded by wild animals who were sick. Among
them Blaise walked unafraid, curing them of their illnesses. Recognizing Blaise
as a bishop, they captured him to take him back for trial. On the way back, he
talked a wolf into releasing a pig that belonged to a poor woman. When Blaise
was sentenced to be starved to death, the woman, in gratitude, sneaked into the
prison with food and candles. Finally St. Blaise was killed by the governor.
Blaise is the patron saint of wild animals because of his care for them and of
those with throat maladies.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/saint-blaise/
_-_painting_of_Virgin_between_Bernardino_of_Siena_and_Saint_Blaise.jpg)
St. Blaise
Bishop and martyr.
The ninth-century martyrologies of Europe in
their lists, which are accompanied by historical notices, give on 15
February the name of St. Blasius, Bishop of Sebaste and martyr.
The Greek synaxaria mention him under 11 February. In the oldest
known recension of the so-called martyrology of St.
Jerome the name of St. Blasius does not appear; it is only
in the later, enlarged catalogues that he is mentioned. The historical notices
concerning him in the above-mentioned martyrologies and synaxaria rest
on the legendary Acts. All the statements agree that St.
Blasius was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia and
most of the acounts place his martyrdom in
the reign of Licinius (about 316). As these reports may rest on
old traditions which are bound up with the veneration of
the saint in
the Church liturgy,
they are not to be absolutely rejected.
It can perhaps be assumed that St. Blasius was a bishop and
that he suffered martyrdom at
the beginning of the fourth century. All the particulars concerning his life
and martyrdom which
are found in the Acts are purely legendary and have no
claim to historical worth. There are besides various recensions of
the text of the Acts. According to the legend Blasius was a
physician at Sebaste before
he was raised to the episcopal
see. At the time of the persecution under
Licinius he was taken prisoner at
the command of the governor, Agricolaus. The hunters of the governor found him
in the wilderness in a cave to which he had retired and while in prison he
performed a wonderful cure of a boy who had a fishbone in his throat and who
was in danger of choking to death. After suffering various forms of
torture St. Blasius was beheaded; the Acts relate also
the martyrdom of
seven women.
The veneration of the Oriental saint was brought at an
early date into Europe,
as is shown by the recitals in the historical martyrologies of
the ninth century, and the Latin recension of
the legend of St. Blasius; so that Blasius became one
of the most popular saints of
the Middle
Ages. The actual reason for the unusual veneration has not yet
been made clear. Most probably one ground was that according to
the legend he was a physician and wonderful cures were ascribed to
him; for this reason the faithful sought his help
and intercession when ill.
Numberless churches and altars were dedicated to
him and many localities (Taranto, Ragusa,
the Abbey of St. Blasius in the Black Forest, etc.) claimed to possess some of
his relics.
He was also one of the Fourteen Holy Martyrs.
In many places on the day of
his feast the blessing of St. Blasius is given:
two candles are consecrated,
generally by a prayer,
these are then held in a crossed position by a priest over
the heads of the faithful or the people are touched on the throat
with them. In other places oil is consecrated in
which the wick of a small candle is dipped and the throats of those
present are touched with the wick. At the same time the
following blessing is given: "Per intercessionem S.
Blasii liberet te Deus a malo gutteris et a quovis alio malo"
(May God at
the intercession of St. Blasius preserve you from throat
troubles and every other evil).
In some dioceses is
added: "in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus" and the priest makes
the sign
of the cross over the faithful.
In the Latin
Church his feast falls on 3 February, in the Oriental
Churches on 11 February. He is represented holding
two crossed candles in his hand (the Blessing of St.
Blasius), or in a cave surrounded by wild beasts, as he was found by the
hunters of the governor.
Kirsch, Johann
Peter. "St. Blaise." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol.
2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 3 Feb.
2016 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02592a.htm>.
Transcription. This
article was transcribed for New Advent by Janet Grayson.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2020 by Kevin
Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02592a.htm
SAINT BLAISE, MARTYR—C.
316
Feast: February 3
It is not known precisely
when or where St. Blaise lived, but according to tradition he was a bishop of Sebaste,
Armenia, in the early part of the fourth century, and suffered martyrdom under
the Roman emperor Licinius, who had commanded the governor of the province, one
Agricolaus, to prevent the spread of Christianity in his territory. After this
edict had been promulgated, Blaise fled to the mountains and lived in a cave
frequented by wild beasts. He used his skill to heal the animals that he found
wounded or sick, and when the emperor's hunters, bent on collecting wild
animals for the royal games, discovered him in this cave, they carried him off
to Agricolaus as a special prize.
On the way, the story
goes, 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. During the
course of this journey he also miraculously cured a child who was choking to
death on a fishbone. For this reason St. Blaise is often invoked by persons
suffering from throat trouble. When he had reached the capital and was in
prison awaiting 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. When
he was finally killed, he is supposed to have been tortured with an iron comb
or rake, and afterwards beheaded. In the West there was no cult honoring St.
Blaise prior to the eighth century.
One of the Fourteen Holy
Helpers, his emblems are an iron comb and a wax taper.
This was taken from
"Lives of Saints", Published by John J. Crawley & Co., Inc.
Provided Courtesy of:
Eternal Word Television
Network
5817 Old Leeds Road
Irondale, AL 35210
www.ewtn.com
SOURCE : https://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/BLAISE.HTM
Kellberg
(Niederbayern ). Pfarrkirche St, Blasius (15.Jhdt.): Heiliger Blasius und die
14 Nothelfer - Altarbild (1680) vom früheren barocken Hochaltar.
Saint
Blaise and the 14 Holy Helpers. Kellberg (Lower Bavaria). Saint Blaise parish
church (15th century)
St. Blase, Bishop and
Martyr
The four modern different
Greek acts of this saint are of small authority. Bollandus has supplied this
deficiency by learned remarks.
A.D. 316.
HE was bishop of Sebaste
in Armenia, and was crowned with martyrdom in the persecution of Licinius, in
316, by the command of Agricolaus, governor of Cappadocia and the lesser
Armenia. It is mentioned in the acts of St. Eustratius, who received the crown
of martyrdom in the reign of Dioclesian, and is honoured on the 13th of
December, that St. Blase, the bishop of Sebaste, honourably received his
relics, deposited them with those of St. Orestes, and punctually executed every
article of the last will and testament of St. Eustratius. His festival is kept
a holiday in the Greek church on the 11th of February. He is mentioned in the
ancient Western Martyrologies which bear the name of St. Jerom, Ado and Usuard,
with several more ancient manuscript Martyrologies, quoted by Chatelain, which
place his name on the 15th. In the holy war his relics were dispersed over the
West, and his veneration was propagated by many miraculous cures, especially of
sore throats. He is the principal patron of the commonwealth of Ragusa. 1 No
other reason than the great devotion of the people to this celebrated martyr of
the church seems to have given occasion to the wool-combers to choose him the
titular patron of their profession: on which account his festival is still kept
by them with a solemn guild at Norwich. Perhaps also his country might in part
determine them to this choice: for it seems that the first branch, or at least
hint of this manufacture, was borrowed from the remotest known countries of the
East, as was that of silk: or the iron combs, with which he is said to have
been tormented, gave occasion to this choice.
The iron combs, hooks,
racks, swords, and scaffolds, which were purpled with the blood of the martyrs,
are eternal proofs of their invincible courage and constancy in the divine
service. But are they not at the same time subjects of our condemnation and
confusion? How weak are our resolutions! How base our pusillanimity and
cowardice in the pursuit of virtue! We have daily renewed our most sacred
baptismal engagements, and our purposes of faithfully serving God; these we
have often repeated at the feet of God’s ministers, and in presence of his holy
altars; and we have often begun our conversion with great fervour. Yet these
fair blossoms were always nipped in the bud: for want of constancy we soon fell
back into our former sloth and disorders, adding to our other prevarications
that of base infidelity. Instead of encountering gibbets and wild beasts, we
were scared at the sight of the least difficulty; or we had not courage to make
the least sacrifice of our passions, or to repulse the weakest and most
contemptible assaults of the world. Its example, or that dangerous company from
which we had not resolution to separate ourselves, carried us away: and we had
not courage to withstand those very maxims which we ourselves condemn in the
moments of our serious reflections, as contrary to the spirit of the gospel.
Perhaps we often flew back for fear of shadows, and out of apprehensions
frequently imaginary, lest we should forfeit some temporal advantage, some
useful or agreeable friend. Perhaps we were overcome by the difficulties which
arose barely from ourselves, and wanted resolution to deny our senses, to
subdue our passions, to renounce dangerous occasions, or to enter upon a
penitential life. Blinded by self-love, have we not sheltered our dastardly
pusillanimity under the cloak of pretended necessity, or even virtue?
Note 1. See
Bollandus, Pagi ad an. 316. Chatelain, Notes on the Martyr, p. 507. and Jos.
Assemani in Cal. Univ. ad 11 Feb. t. 6. p. 123. [back]
Rev. Alban
Butler (1711–73). Volume II: February. The Lives of the
Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/2/031.html
Die Bilder der Wallfahrtskirche St.
Blasien wurden um 1715 von Mathias Auhuber aus dem nahen Bad Hall geschaffen.
Das Gemälde des Hochaltares zeigt den hl. Blasius gemäß seiner Legende mit
einer Kerze und der Frau, deren Schwein er ihr durch seine Gebete wieder
verschaffte.
The paintings of the pilgrimage church
St. Blasius in Adlwang, Upper Austria, were created by Mathias Auhuber around
1715. The altarpiece shows St. Blaise according to his legend with the wife
whose pig he has saved.
Here followeth the Life
of Saint Blase, and first of his name.
Blase is as much to say
as glosing, or it is said as belasius of bela, which is habit,and syor, which
is to say, little. And thus he is said glosing by the sweetness of his
word,meek by his habit of virtues, and little by humility of manners and of
conversation.
Saint Blase 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. The which when he was bishop saw that
Diocletian the emperor made so many persecutions to christian men that Saint
Blase 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 Saint Blase 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 Jesu 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 calleth thee. And Saint Blase answered: My sons, ye be welcome, I see
now well that God hath not forgotten me. He went with them and continually
preached, and did many miracles tofore them.
There was a woman that
had a son dying, in whose throat was a bone of a fish athwart, which estrangled
him, and she brought him tofore his feet, praying him that he would make her
son whole. And Saint Blase put his hand upon him and made his prayer to God
that this child, and all they that demanded benefits of health in his name,
that they should be holpen and obtain it, and anon he was whole and guerished.
Another woman there was
that was poor which had a swine, which the wolf had borne away, and she humbly
prayed to Saint Blase that she might have again her swine. And he began to
smile and said: Good woman anger thee not, for thou shalt have again thy swine,
and anon the wolf brought again to the woman, which was a widow, her swine.
And anon after he was
entered into the city, the prince commanded to put him in prison, and after
another day he made him to come tofore him, whom he saluted by fair words,
saying to him: Be thou joyful, Blase, the friend of God. Saint Blase answered
to him: Be thou joyous right good prince, but call not them gods whom thou
worshippest, but fiends, for they be delivered to fire perdurable with them
that serve and worship them. Then was the prince much wroth, and made to beat
Saint Blase with staves, and after to put him in prison. Then said Saint Blase:
O mad man, weenest thou by thy torments and pains to take away from me the love
of my God whom I have with me and is my helper? And when this good widow, which
by Saint Blase had recovered her swine, heard thereof, she slew it, and the
head and the feet with a little bread and a candle, she brought to Saint Blase,
and he thanked God and ate thereof, and he said to her that every year she
should offer in his church a candle, and know thou that to thee and to all them
that so shall do shall well happen to them, and so she did all her life, and
she had much great prosperity. After this that the right cruel prince had
brought him tofore his gods, and in no wise might make him incline for to adore
to their gods, he made him to be hanged on a gibbet, and his body to be torn
with combs of iron, and this done he was remitted again to prison. And there
were seven women that siewed him, which gathered up the drops of his blood,
which women anon were taken, and constrained to sacrifice to their gods. The
which said: If thou wilt that we worship thy gods, and that we do to them
reverence, send them to the water for to wash and make clean their visages, to
the end that we may more cleanlier worship them. Then the prince was right glad
and joyous, and anon sent them to the water, and the women took them and threw
them in the middle of the stagne or pond, and said: Now shall we see if they be
gods. And when the prince heard this he was out of his wit for anger, and smote
himself all wroth saying: Wherefore retained not ye our gods that they should
not have thrown them in the bottom of the water? The ministers answered:Thou
spakest shrewdly to the women, and they cast them into the water. To whom the
women said: The very God may not suffer iniquity ne falseness, for if they had
been very gods they had well eschewed that they had not been thrown there, and
had seen what we would have done. Then the tyrant became wroth and did do make
ready lead molten and iron combs, and seven coats of iron burning as hot as
fire on that one side, and that other he did do bring smocks of linen cloth and
said to them that they should choose which they would. And one of them that had
two small children ran hardily and took the smocks of linen cloth and threw
them in the furnace for to go after herself if she had failed. And the children
said to the mother, leave us not after thee, but right sweet mother, like as
thou hast nourished us with thy milk so replenish us with the realm of heaven.
Then the tyrant did do hang them, and with hooks and crochets of iron did do
tear their flesh and all to-rent it. Of whom the flesh was as white as snow,
and for blood they gave out milk. And as they suffered these great torments the
angel of God descended from heaven and comforted them, and said to them: Have
ye no dread, the worker is good that well beginneth and well endeth, and who
deserveth good reward shall have joy, and for his work complete he shall have
his merit, and for labour he shall have rest, and that shall be the reward.
Then the tyrant did do take them down and did do throw them into the burning
furnace, which women, by the grace of God issued without taking harm, and the
fire was extinct and quenched. And the tyrant said to them, now leave ye your
art of enchantment and adore ye our gods. And they answered: Do that thou hast
begun, for we be now called to the kingdom of heaven. Then he commanded that
they should be beheaded; and when they should be beheaded they began to adore
God kneeling on their knees, saying: Lord God which hast departed us from
darknesses, and in to this right sweet light hast brought us, and of us hast
made thy sacrifice, receive our souls, and make us to come to the life
perdurable, and thus had they their heads smitten off, and sith their souls went to heaven. After
this the prince made Saint Blase to be brought before him, and said to him:
Hast thou now worshipped our gods or not? Saint Blase answered: Right cruel man
I have no dread of thy menaces, do what thou wilt, I deliver to thee my body
whole. Then he took him and did him to be cast in to a pond, and anon he
blessed the water and the water dried all away, and so he abode there safe. And
then Saint Blase said to him, If your gods be very and true gods, let them now
show their virtue and might and enter ye hither. Then there entered into it
sixty-five persons, and anon they were drowned. And an angel descended from
heaven, and said to Saint Blase: Blase go out of this water and receive the
crown that is made ready of God for thee. And when he was issued out of the
pond the tyrant said to him: Thou hast determined in all manners not for to
adore our gods. To whom Saint Blase said: Poor caitiff, know thou that I am
servant of God, and I adore not the fiends as ye do. And anon then the tyrant
did do smite off his head, and Saint Blase prayed to our Lord tofore his death
that whosoever desired his help from the infirmity of the throat, or required
aid for any other sickness or infirmity, that he would hear him, and might
deserve to be guerished and healed. And there came a voice from heaven to him
saying that his petition was granted and should be done as he had prayed. And
so then with the two little children he was beheaded about the year of our Lord
three hundred and eighty seven.
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-golden-legend-the-life-of-saint-blase/
.jpg)
Vincenzo Carducci (1576–1638), San Blas, 142 x 99, capilla de San José de la catedral de Sevilla / Seville Cathedral, España
Handbook
of Christian Feasts and Customs – Saint Blaise, February 3
Article
This martyr, a bishop in
Armenia, suffered and died at the beginning of the fourth century. The legends
handed down tell us that he was a physician before he became a bishop and that,
while in prison, he miraculously cured a little boy who nearly died because of
a fishbone in his throat.
The veneration of Saint
Blaise was brought to Europe before the ninth century, and he soon became one
of the most popular saints of the Middle Ages. Having been a physician, he was
now invoked as a helper in sickness and pain, but especially against evils of
the throat. Legends of a later date relate how shortly before his death he had
asked God for the power of curing all those who would pray to him for help.
“And behold, a voice answered from Heaven that his request was granted by the
Lord.”
In medieval times many
shrines existed in honor of Saint Blaise. In central Europe and in the Latin
countries people still are given blessed breads (Saint Blaise sticks: Pan
bendito) of which they eat a small piece whenever they have a sore throat. The
best-known sacramental in his honor, however, is the “Blessing of Throats” with
candles. It has been in use for many centuries and was adopted by the Church as
one of its official blessings. The priest holds the crossed candles against the
head or throat of the person and says: “Through the intercession of Saint
Blaise, bishop and martyr, may the Lord free you from evils of the throat and
from any other evil.” In various places of Italy the priests do not use candles
but touch the throats of the faithful with a wick dipped into blessed oil while
they pronounce the invocation.
Liturgical Prayer –
O God who grantest us joy by the annual solemnity of Saint Blaise, bishop and
martyr: grant also that we may rejoice over his protection, whose birthday we
celebrate.
MLA
Citation
Francis X Weiser, SJ.
“Blaise, February 3”. Handbook of Christian Feasts
and Customs, 1952. CatholicSaints.Info.
15 February 2017. Web. 3 February 2021.
<https://catholicsaints.info/handbook-of-christian-feasts-and-customs-blaise-february-3/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/handbook-of-christian-feasts-and-customs-blaise-february-3/
Saint Blaise,
Tableau du maître-autel (vers 1740), Église Saint-Blaise, Valff, Alsace
Goffine’s
Devout Instructions – Feast of Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr
Saint Blase was born at
Sebaste, in Armenia, of which place he was subsequently appointed bishop, on
the solicitation of the people, and suffered martyrdom in 316, during the
persecution under Licinius. This saint wrought many miracles, and is yet invoked
in dangerous diseases of the throat, because he saved the life of a rich
widow’s son, who had nearly died in consequence of swallowing a fish-bone. The
Church accordingly sanctions a special blessing of throats on his day. Holding
the blessed candles near the throat, in the form of a cross, the priest says:
“Through the merits and
intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, God deliver thee from all
diseases of the throat, and preserve thee from every other evil. In the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
If we take part in this
pious custom of the Church, we should, above all, consider that while we unite
our supplications with the prayers of the Church, to be preserved from bodily
illness, we ought to guard our souls against sin, particularly sins of the
tongue and of the palate, as being more dangerous ills than any that can
afflict our bodies.
Prayer
O God, Who givest us joy
by the annual solemnity of Saint Blase, Thy holy bishop and martyr, mercifully
grant us, in the fulness of Thy love, that we may rejoice in the protection of
him whose festival we today joyfully celebrate. Through Christ our Lord, etc.
Amen.
– Goffine’s Devout
Instructions
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/goffines-devout-instructions-feast-of-saint-blase-bishop-and-martyr/
Pictorial
Lives of the Saints – Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr
Saint Blase devoted the
earlier years of his life to the study of philosophy, and afterwards became a
physician. In the practice of his profession he saw so much of the miseries of
life and the hollowness of worldly pleasures, that he resolved to spend the
rest of his days in the service of God, and from being a healer of bodily
ailments to become a physician of souls. The bishop of Sebaste, in Arminia,
having died, our Saint, much to the gratification of the inhabitants of that
city, was appointed to succeed him. Saint Blase at once began to instruct his
people as much by his example as by his words, and the great virtues and
sanctity of this servant of God was attested by many miracles. From all parts
the people came flocking to him for the cure of bodily and spiritual ills.
Agricolaus, Governor of Cappadocia and the lesser Armenia, having begun a
persecution by order of the Emperor Licinius, our Saint was seized and hurried
off to prison. Whilst on his way there, a distracted mother, whose only child
was dying of a throat disease, threw herself at the feet of Saint Blase and
implored his intercession. Touched at her grief, the Saint offered up his
prayers, and the child was cured; and since that time his aid has often been
effectually solicited in cases of a similar disease. Refusing to worship the
false gods of the heathens, Saint Blase was first scourged; his body was then
torn with hooks, and finally he was beheaded in the year 316.
Reflection – There
is no sacrifice which, by the aid of grace, human nature is not capable of
accomplishing. When Saint Paul complained to God of the violence of the
temptation, God answered, “My grace is sufficient for thee, for power is made
perfect in infirmity.”
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/pictorial-lives-of-the-saints-saint-blase-bishop-and-martyr/
Giovanni da San Giovanni, Martirio di San Biagio, 1619
Giovanni
da San Giovanni, Martirio di San Biagio, 1619
St. Blaise
St. Blaise is given
special recognition on February 3, not only with a feast day, but with a unique
ceremony that parallels the practice of anointing the sick. In this case, it is
blessing the throats of those with throat disorders and anyone who wishes to
avoid getting such a malady (or something related to the throat, even the words
one speaks; see Psalm 5:10). The blessing is usually done by priests (though
deacons may also serve) and it is considered a sacramental of the Church.
An excellent rendition of
the story of St. Blaise was written by Father William Saunders (below), pastor
of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Potomac Falls and a professor of catechetics and
theology at the Notre Dame Graduate School in Alexandria, Virginia. His comments
were published in the Arlington Catholic Herald (1/30/03) in honor of the
upcoming festival day, and in response to a question about the blessing. His
answer:
Blessing Throats on the
Feast of St. Blaise
Unfortunately, what is
known about the life of St. Blaise derives from various traditions. His feast
day is celebrated in the East on Feb. 11 and in the West on Feb. 3 (although it
was observed on Feb. 15 until the 11th century). All sources agree that St.
Blaise was the Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia who suffered martyrdom under
Licinius about A.D. 316. (Remember that Emperor Constantine had legalized the
practice of Christianity in 313, but Licinius, his ally and co-emperor who had
concurred in legalizing Christianity, betrayed him and began persecuting the
Church. Constantine defeated Licinius in 324.) From here, we rely on the
tradition which has been associated with our liturgical celebrations over the
centuries, which does not necessarily preempt their veracity or accuracy.
In accord with various
traditions, St. Blaise was born to rich and noble parents, and received a
Christian education. He was a physician before being consecrated a bishop at a
young age. Although such a statement seems terse, keep in mind that at that time
the local community usually nominated a man to be a bishop based on his
outstanding holiness and leadership qualities; he in turn was then examined and
consecrated by other bishops with the approval of the Holy Father. Therefore,
St. Blaise must have been a great witness of our Faith, to say the least.
During the persecution of
Licinius, St. Blaise, receiving some divine command, moved from the town, and
lived as a hermit in a cave. Wild animals visited, and he healed any that were
sick and wounded. One day, a group of hunters gathering wild beasts for the
game in the amphitheater discovered St. Blaise and seized him. As he was being
taken to the governor Agricolaus, the governor of Cappadocia and Lesser
Armenia, St. Blaise encountered a woman whose pig was being seized by a wolf;
St. Blaise commanded the wolf to release the pig, and it was freed unhurt.
While in prison, he
miraculously cured a small boy who was choking to death on a fishbone lodged in
his throat. Also, the woman whose pig had been saved brought St. Blaise candles
so that his cell would have light and he could read the sacred Scriptures.
Eventually, Agricolaus
condemned St. Blaise for upholding his Christian faith rather than
apostatizing. He was tortured with the iron comb (an instrument designed for
combing wool but was used here for shredding the skin) and finally beheaded.
By the sixth century, St.
Blaise's intercession was invoked for diseases of the throat in the East. As
early as the eighth century, records attest to the veneration of St. Blaise in
Europe, and he became one of the most popular saints in the spiritual life of
the Middle Ages. Many altars were dedicated to his honor, and even the Abbey of
St. Blaise in southern Germany claimed to have some of his relics.
St. Blaise is also
venerated as one of the "Fourteen Holy Helpers," a group of saints
invoked as early as the 12th century in Germany and who are honored on Aug. 8:
St. Denis of Paris (headache and rabies), St. Erasmus or Elmo (colic and
cramp), St. Blaise (throat ailments), St. Barbara (lightning, fire, explosion
and sudden and unprepared death), St. Margaret (possession and pregnancy), St.
Catherine of Alexandria (philosophers and students, and wheelwrights), St.
George (protector of soldiers), Sts. Achatius and Eustace (hunters), St. Pantaleon (tuberculosis),
St. Giles (epilepsy, insanity, and sterility), St. Cyriac (demonic possession),
St. Vitus (epilepsy), and St. Christopher (travelers). The German Dominicans
promoted this veneration, particularly at the Church of St. Blaise in
Regensburg (c. 1320).
One reason for St.
Blaise's popularity arose from the fact he was a physician who cured, even
performing miraculous cures. Thereby, those who were sick, especially with
throat ailments, invoked his intercession. Eventually the custom of the
blessing of throats arose, whereby the priest held two crossed candles over the
heads of the faithful or touched their throats with them while he invoked the
prayer of the saint and imparted God's blessing. In our present Roman Ritual,
the priest prays, "Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and
martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every
other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit." This practice continues in many parishes on St. Blaise's feast
day.
While we invoke St.
Blaise for his protection against any physical ailment of the throat, we should
also ask his protection against any spiritual ailment - profanity, cursing,
unkind remarks, detraction or gossip. St. James reminds us, "If a man who
does not control his tongue imagines that he is devout, he is self-deceived;
his worship is pointless" (1:26) and later, "We use [the tongue] to
say, 'Praised be the Lord and Father'; then we use it to curse men, though they
are made in the likeness of God. Blessing and curse come out of the same mouth.
This ought not to be, my brothers!" (3:9-10). Therefore, may St. Blaise
protect us from all evil, physical and spiritual, which may attack the throat.
[Arlington Catholic
Herald Web Site: http://www.catholicherald.com/]
The Blessing of the
Throat
The blessing of the
throat is carried out using two white taper candles that were blessed on the
previous day, February 2, Candlemas Day, the Feast of the Presentation (see
following story). The white color of the candles symbolizes purity. Often, a
red ribbon will be draped over the base of the candles, the red symbolizing the
martyrdom of St. Blaise. The candles are grasped in an X-shape and held up to
the throat of the person receiving the blessing (which was mentioned by Father
Saunders):
"Through the intercession of St. Blaise,
bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and
from every other illness, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the
Holy Spirit." Some photos of the blessing of the throat. Lower right is a
commonly seen prayer card for St. Blaise, in which he is blessing a sick child
who is holding her throat, presented by her mother, and St. Blaise is holding
two white candles, crossed.
Candlemas
On February 2, the Latin
Rite of the Roman Church celebrates Candlemas, which is also known as the feast
day of the Presentation of Christ at the Temple. The origins of this observance
are found in Mosaic Law, which in Jesus' day required a male child to be
presented at the temple in Jerusalem, along with making a sacrificial offering,
40 days after birth (a period of purification for the mother). Once Christmas
was established on December 25 (this occurred around 375 A.D.), the
Presentation feast was observed on February 2. In Icons of this event, Mary is
seen presenting the child to Simeon (with her are Joseph and the prophetess
Anna); the story is relayed in the Gospel of Luke (2: 22-35):
And when the day came for
them to be purified in keeping with the Law of Moses, they took him up to
Jerusalem to present him to the Lord-observing what is written in the Law of
the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord-and also
to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is prescribed in the Law of the
Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.
Now in Jerusalem there
was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to
the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set
eyes on the Christ of the Lord.
Prompted by the Spirit he
came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for
Him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he
said,
"Now, Master, you
are letting your
servant go in peace
as you promised;
for my eyes have seen the salvation,
which you have made ready in the
sight of the nations,
a light of revelation for the gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel."
As the child's father and
mother were wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon
blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "Behold, he is destined for the
fall and for the rise of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is
opposed-and a sword will pierce your soul too-so that the secret thoughts of
many may be laid bare.
The blessing of the
candles on this day of the Presentation, including incensing them and
sprinkling them with holy water, was introduced around the 11th Century.
The candles are then distributed to the clergy and the laity. The light from
the candles represents the Christ, the Light of the World. The candles received
by St. Blaise-while he was confined to his cell awaiting his death-he used to
read the sacred Scripture.
SOURCE : http://www.itmonline.org/bodytheology/stblaise.htm
._Wellcome_V0048895.jpg)
The
Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts – Saint Blaise and His Beasts
This is the story of a
Saint who loved all animals and whom the animals therefore loved in return.
Saint Blaise was the son
of wealthy people in Sebaste, a town of Armenia near Turkey, in the days when
it was fashionable to be a heathen. He was not like the other boys, his
playmates, for he was a Christian, full of sympathy for everything that lived.
More than all things he longed to learn how to help the creatures that he
loved, men and women, the children, the dumb beasts, and everything that
suffered and was sick. So he went to school and studied medicine; and by and by
he grew up to be a wise man with a big, tender heart. Every one loved him, for
he did great good among the people of his village, tending their children and
healing their cattle and household pets.
Nor did he neglect even
the wild beasts. For Saint Blaise loved to go away into the woods and fields
where he could learn about the untamed creatures and teach them to be his
friends. The birds and beasts and fishes grew to love him because he never hurt
them, but talked to them kindly and healed them when they were sick or wounded.
The timid creatures were brave in his presence, and the fierce ones grew tame
and gentle at the sound of his voice. The little birds brought him food, and
the four-footed beasts ran errands and were his messengers. The legends say
that they used to visit him in his forest home, which was a cave on Mount Argus
near the city of Sebaste. Every morning they came to see how their master was
faring, to receive his blessing and lick his hands in gratitude. If they found
the Saint at his prayers they never disturbed him, but waited in a patient,
wistful group at the door of his cave until he rose from his knees.
One day a poor woman came
to him in great distress because a wolf had carried away her pig. Saint Blaise
was sorry to hear that one of his friends had done so wicked a thing. He bade
the woman go home, and said he would see what could be done. He called the Wolf
up to him and shook his head gravely at the culprit.
“You bad Wolf!” he said.
“Don’t you know that the Pig was a friend of mine, too? He is not handsome, but
he is nice and plump; and he is the only pig of a poor, lone woman. How could
you be so selfish? Go straight home and get my friend Pig, and drive him down to
the woman’s house.” Then the Wolf went sheepishly away, and did what the good
Saint had told him to do; for the Pig had not yet been made into pork. And when
the poor woman saw the Pig run grunting into her yard, chased by the repentant
Wolf, she fell upon his fat neck and wept tears of joy. Then the Wolf went back
to Saint Blaise, who told him he was a good wolf, and gave him a dish of fresh
milk to cool his throat.
Saint Blaise was chosen
Bishop by the Christians who loved him for his piety and his charity. And the
wood-beasts were glad of this honor done to their dear master. But the poor
creatures did not know how dangerous it was to be a Christian in those days,
and especially to be a Bishop who had much power over the people. For the
heathen were jealous of him, and feared that he would make all the people
Christians too, when they saw the wonderful cures which his medicines made. But
they could not find him, for he was living in his forest cave.
This was 316 years after
Christ’s birth, and the cruel Emperor Licinius was causing many Christians to
be killed. Agricola was the governor whom Licinius had appointed in Sebaste,
and he sent his soldiers into the mountains to get some wild beasts for the
games in the arena, where the Christians were to be put to death. But they
could not find any beasts at all in the mountains, or in the fields, or
valleys, or woods. They thought this very strange. But by and by they came by
accident to the cave where Saint Blaise lived.
And there were the
animals, all the fierce beasts whom they feared; lions, tigers, leopards,
bears, and wolves, making their morning call upon Saint Blaise and sitting
quietly about. In the midst was Blaise himself, praying so earnestly that he
never noticed the men with nets and spears who had come to entrap the beasts.
Although the creatures were frightened they did not move nor growl for fear of
disturbing their master, but kept quite still, glaring at the soldiers with big
yellow eyes. The men were so astonished at the sight that they stole away
without capturing an animal or saying a word to Saint Blaise, for they thought
he must be Orpheus or some heathen god who charmed wild beasts. They went to
the Governor and told him what they had seen, and he said,
“Ho! I know he is a
Christian. The Christians and the beasts are great friends. Go and bring him to
me straightway.”
And this time the
soldiers went in the afternoon when the animals were taking their after-dinner
nap. So they found Saint Blaise quite alone, again at his devotions. They told
him he must come with them; but instead of being frightened he said joyfully,
“I am ready, I have long expected you.” For he was a holy man willing to die
for his faith, and holy men often knew what was going to happen to them.
It was on his way to
prison that Saint Blaise cured his last patient, a sick child whose mother
brought him to the holy man’s feet begging help. The child had swallowed a bone
and was choking to death, poor little thing. But Saint Blaise touched the
baby’s throat and the trouble was gone. This is why in olden times people with
sore throats always prayed to Saint Blaise to make them well.
The good Bishop was put
in prison. And after that they tortured him, trying to make him promise not to
be a Christian any longer. But Saint Blaise refused to become a heathen and to
sacrifice to the gods. And so they determined that he must die. They would have
put him in the arena with the wild beasts, but they knew that these faithful
creatures would not harm their friend. The beasts could not save him from the
cruel men, but at least they would not do anything to hurt him. Those which
were still left in the forest howled and moaned about his deserted cave, and
went sniffing and searching for him everywhere, like stray dogs who have lost
their master. It was a sad day for the wood-creatures when Saint Blaise was
taken from them forever.
The soldiers were told to
drown Saint Blaise in the neighboring lake. But he made the sign of the Cross
as they cast him from the boat, and the water bore him up, so that he walked
upon it as if it were a floor, just as Christ did once upon the sea of Galilee.
When the soldiers tried to do the same, however, thinking to follow and
recapture him, they sank and were drowned. At last of his own free will Saint
Blaise walked back to the shore, clothed in light and very beautiful to look
upon; for he was ready and eager to die. He let the heathen seize him, and soon
after this was beheaded.
In very old times it used
to be the custom in England on the third of February to light great bonfires on
all the hills, blazes in honor of his name.
And we can well believe
that all the little animals came out of their dens and burrows and nests at the
sight of these fires, and thought with loving hearts of the dear old Saint who
so many years ago used to be kind to their ancestors, the beasts in the forests
of Armenia.
– from The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie
Farwell Brown, illustrations by Fanny Y. Cory, 1900
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-book-of-saints-and-friendly-beasts-saint-blaise-and-his-beasts/
Statue
of Saint Blaise on the Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc in Olomouc (Czech Republic).
Socha Svatého Blažeje na sloupu nejsvětější trojice v Olomouci.
Legends
of the Fourteen Holy Helpers – Saint Blase, Bishop and Martyr
Legend
Saint Blase was born at
Sebaste, Armenia. He became a physician, but at the same time devoted himself
zealously to the practice of his Christian duties. His virtuous conduct gained
for him the esteem of the Christian clergy and people to such a degree, that he
was elected bishop of his native city. Henceforth he devoted himself to ward
off the dangers of soul from the faithful, as he had hitherto been intent on
healing their bodily ills. To all, he was a shining example of virtue.
During the reign of
Emperor Licinius a cruel persecution of Christians broke out. The persecutors
directed their fury principally against the bishops, well knowing that when the
shepherd is stricken the flock is dispersed. Listening to the entreaties of the
faithful, and mindful of the words of Our Lord, “When they shall persecute you in
this city, flee into another” (Matthew 10:23), Saint Blase hid himself in a
cave. But one day the prefect Agricola instituted a chase, and his party
discovered the holy bishop and brought him before their master.
St. Blase remained
steadfast in the Faith, and by its able confession and defense attracted the
attention of the attendants at his trial. The cruel tyrant had him bound and
tortured with iron combs. After suffering these torments with great patience
and meekness, the saint was cast into prison. He was kept there a long time,
because the prefect hoped to exhaust his powers of endurance, and to bring him
to sacrifice to the idols. His jailer permitted the holy bishop to receive
visitors in his prison, and many sick and suffering availed themselves of this
privilege. He cured some of them and gave good advice to others.
One day a mother brought
to him her boy, who, while eating, had swallowed a fishbone, which remained in
his throat, and, causing great pain, threatened suffocation. Saint Blase prayed
and made the sign of the cross over the boy, and behold, he was cured. For this
reason the saint is invoked in throat troubles.
At length the holy bishop
was again brought before the judge and commanded to sacrifice to the idols. But
he said: “Thou art blind, because thou art not illuminated by the true light.
How can a man sacrifice to idols, when he adores the true God alone? I do not
fear thy threats. Do with me according to thy pleasure. My body is in thy
power, but God alone has power over my soul. Thou seekest salvation with the
idols; I hope and trust to receive it from the only true and living God whom I
adore.”
Then the prefect
sentenced him to death. Saint Blase was beheaded, suffering death for the Faith
February 3, 316.
Lesson
Saint Blase gave us a
glorious example of fortitude in the confession of the Faith. According to the
teaching of Saint Paul, confession of the Faith is necessary for our salvation.
He says, “For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy
heart that God hath raised Him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with
the heart we believe unto justice, but with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation” (Romans 10:9,10). We are, therefore, not permitted to be silent,
much less to agree, when our Faith, and whatever is connected therewith, as the
sacraments, ceremonies, priests, etc., are ridiculed and reviled. Parents
especially must be most careful in speaking of these subjects before their
children and servants, and do so only with due reverence.
On the contrary, we must
confess our Faith, and if necessary, defend it against all attacks. Often one
serious word will suffice to silence a calumniator of the Faith and cause him
to blush. We must confess our Faith not only in the bosom of our family, but
also in public. We must let our fellow-men know that we are true Catholics, who
adhere to our Faith from conviction, without regard to what others say of us,
or how they judge us, remembering the words of Our Lord, “Every one, therefore,
that shall confess me before men, I will also confess him before my Father who
is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).
It was remarked above
that Saint Blase is the patron invoked in throat troubles. Therefore the
Church, on his feast, February 3, gives a special blessing, at which she prays
over those receiving it: “By the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and
martyr, may God deliver thee from all ills of the throat and from all other
ills; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”
Do not neglect to receive this blessing, if you have the opportunity. The
blessings of the Church are powerful and effective, for she is God’s
representative on earth. Therefore her blessing is God’s blessing, and is
always effective, except we ourselves place an obstacle in its way.
Prayer of the Church
O God, who dost rejoice
us through the memory of Thy blessed bishop and martyr Blase: graciously grant
us, that we, who honor his memory, may experience his protection. Through
Christ our Lord. Amen.
– from Legends of the Fourteen Holy Helpers by
Father Bonaventure Hammer, 1908
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/legends-of-the-fourteen-holy-helpers-saint-blase-bishop-and-martyr/
.jpg)
Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra. San Biagio.1640-1645, 73,5 x
36, Museum of Fine Arts of Córdoba
Feast of St. Blaise
St. Blaise (also spelled
Blase and Blasius) -- one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers --
was a 3rd century physician who became Bishop of Sebaste, Armenia. This was the
time of persecution under Licinius, so St. Blaise hid out in a cave on Mt.
Argeus. From the Golden Legend:
...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 S. Blase 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 Jesu 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 calleth thee. And S. Blase answered: My sons, ye be
welcome, I see now well that God hath not forgotten me. He went with them and
continually preached, and did many miracles tofore them.
There was a woman that had a son dying, in whose throat was a bone of a fish
athwart, which estrangled him, and she brought him tofore his feet, praying him
that he would make her son whole. And S. Blase put his hand upon him and made
his prayer to God that this child, and all they that demanded benefits of
health in his name, that they should be holpen and obtain it, and anon he was
whole and guerished.
Another woman there was that was poor which had a swine, which the wolf had
borne away, and she humbly prayed to S. Blase that she might have again her
swine. And he began to smile and said: Good woman anger thee not, for thou
shalt have again thy swine, and anon the wolf brought again to the woman, which
was a widow, her swine.
St. Blaise was captured
and taken before the prince, whose gods, Blaise informed him, were fiends. The
prince was enraged and threw him in prison. The widow whose pig was returned to
her killed the pig and fed Blaise with it. From the Golden Legend again:
And when this good widow,
which by S. Blase had recovered her swine, heard thereof, she slew it, and the
head and the feet with a little bread and a candle, she brought to S. Blase,
and he thanked God and ate thereof, and he said to her that every year she
should offer in his church a candle, and know thou that to thee and to all them
that so shall do shall well happen to them, and so she did all her life, and
she had much great prosperity.
Even after imprisonment,
he refused to worship the prince's gods, and for punishment his flesh torn by
wool combs. He was finally beheaded, martyred along with seven women and two
children.
Because of the cure of the boy's throat when the boy was choking, St. Blaise is
patron against troubles of the throat, and today our throats are blessed at
Mass. The priest will bless two candles in honor of St. Blaise. The words of
this blessing are:
V. Our help + is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit. Let us prayAlmighty and most gentle God, Who didst
create the multiplicity of things through Thine only Word, and didst will that
same Word through Whom all things were made to take flesh for the refashioning
of man; Thou, Who art great and without measure, terrible and worthy of praise,
a Worker of wonders: the glorious martyr and bishop Blaise, not fearing to
suffer all sorts of diverse tortures because of his profession of faith in
Thee, was suited happily to bear the palm of martyrdom: and Thou didst grant to
him, among other graces, the favor that he should by Thy power cure all kinds
of illnesses of the throat: we humbly beg Thy Majesty not to look upon our
sins, but to be pleased by his merits and prayers and to deign in Thy venerable
kindness to bless + and sanctify + this creature of wax by the outpouring of
Thy grace; that all whose necks in good faith are touched by it may be freed by
the merits of his sufferings from any illness of the throat, and that healthy
and strong they may offer thanks to Thee within Thy Holy Church, and praise Thy
glorious name, which is blessed forever and ever. Through our Lord Jesus Christ
Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost,
God, world without end.
R. Amen.
Then he will hold the
two, unlit blessed candles crossed over our throats, intoning:
Per intercessionem S.
Blasii liberet te Deus a malo gutteris et a quovis alio malo
English:
May God at the intercession of St. Blasius preserve you from throat troubles
and every other evil.
Then he will make a sign
of the Cross over us.
St. Blaise is also the patron of veterinarians and against attacks of wild
animals. He is represented in art as a Bishop holding two crossed candles, with
wool combs, or in a cave surrounded by wild animals.
Customs
Some may prepare for this
feast by praying a Novena
to St. Blase starting on January 25 and ending on February 2, the eve
of this feast. For the day itself, the following prayer is a good one:
O glorious St. Blaise,
who with a short prayer didst restore to perfect safety a child at the point of
death from a fish-bone fixed in its throat, grant that we may all feel the
power of thy patronage in every malady of the throat, and may have the special
grace to mortify the dangerous sense of taste by observing faithfully the
precepts of the Church. Thou also, who in thy martyrdom hast left to the Church
the testimony of a glorious faith, grant that we may keep this divine gift intact,
and that in these times we may be enabled, by word and deed, without fear of
man, to defend the truths of faith, so grievously obscured and attacked. Amen.
Now for the folk customs:
It's traditional in Lombary, Italy to eat a piece of Christmas panettone (an
Italian fruit-studded bread) for breakfast in the morning today. The panettone
is saved just for this purpose. But if you haven't saved any (or never had any
for Christmas to begin with), you can make some now:
San Biagio's Panettone
2 ounces baker's yeast, or 3 (1/4-ounce) packages dry active yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1/3 cup hot water, to make the syrup
4 large egg yolks
1/2 large egg white
4 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
Grated zest of 1 organically grown lemon
1 pinch of salt
3/4 cup candied fruit peel, diced
3 1/2 ounces sultana raisins, plumped in warm water and drained well
Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water, and combine it with 7/8 cup flour.
Knead well, form the dough into a loaf, make an X in the top of the loaf, wrap
the loaf in a cloth, and let it rise in a warm place for about 25 minutes.
Combine the loaf with 1 1/8 cups flour and the milk. Knead until the dough is
smooth and homogenous, form it into a loaf, and wrap it in the cloth. Put it to
rise in a warm place for 2 hours.
Put the sugar in a bowl and dissolve it with a little hot water to make a
syrup. Beat in the yolks, one at a time, and about half an egg white. Keep the
mixture warm over a double boiler, but do not let it cook.
Melt 1/2 cup of butter.
Make a mound of the remaining flour in a bowl and scoop a well into it. Put the
risen dough in the well, together with the melted butter, the grated lemon
zest, a pinch of salt, and the warm syrup mixture. Mix energetically for 15
minutes, adding, if need be, a little warm water; the dough should be firm and
elastic. Incorporate the raisins (squeeze them to make sure they are
well-drained) and the candied fruit into the dough. Shape the dough into a ball
and put it in a bowl, in a warm place. Let it rise until it has doubled in
volume.
Preheat your oven to 440 F. Melt the remaining butter.
Put the dough into a high-sided mold lined with buttered oven parchment, make
an X on the top of it, and bake it for about an hour. After 10 minutes,
carefully pour the melted butter into the X on top of the panettone and
continue to bake it until it is done, gradually lowering the oven temperature
somewhat as the top browns.
Elsewhere in Italy (such
as in Abruzzo), hand-shaped loaves of bread called "panicelle" are
eaten.
In Orbetello, Tuscany, Italy, a great procession is made of St. Blaise's relics
in May, when many young people receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Fishermen
from nearby Ansedonia bring the Saint's skull from their town, process past a
great lagoon, and go on to Orbetello, a city for which "San Biagio"
is patron.
The city of Dubrovnik in Croatia is especially famous for its celebrations of
St. Blaise's feast day. Our Saint is said to have saved the city from an attack
by the Venetians in A.D. 972. Venetian warships were close by, and Venetian
spies had already infilitrated the town. A priest was warned of the imminent
onslaught when he walked into St. Stephen Church and encountered an old man --
an old man who turned out to St. Blaise. The priest was warned by the Saint of
what was coming, so the priest was able to tell the city fathers who prepared
the army and successfully repelled the invaders.
On the evening before his feast, the bells of Dubrovnik's churches peal, and
doves are released to symbolize peace. On the feast itself, traditional folk
costumes are worn, and the entire city celebrated with folk songs, the firing
of traditional weapons, craft fairs, theater performances, readings, and much,
much more -- including a procession of St.
Blaise's relics.
SOURCE : https://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterepiphany4.html
Michelangelo, Giudizio Universale (part. San Biagio e santa Caterina d'Alessandria), 1536 - 1541, affresco; Città del Vaticano, Cappella Sistina
San Biagio Vescovo e
martire
- Memoria
Facoltativa
† Sebaste, Armenia, ca.
316
Il martire Biagio è
ritenuto dalla tradizione vescovo della comunità di Sebaste in Armenia al tempo
della "pax" costantiniana. Il suo martirio, avvenuto intorno al 316,
è perciò spiegato dagli storici con una persecuzione locale dovuta ai contrasti
tra l'occidentale Costantino e l'orientale Licinio. Nell'VIII secolo alcuni
armeni portarono le reliquie a Maratea (Potenza), di cui è patrono e dove è
sorta una basilica sul Monte San Biagio. Il suo nome è frequente nella
toponomastica italiana - in provincia di Latina, Imperia, Treviso, Agrigento,
Frosinone e Chieti - e di molte nazioni, a conferma della diffusione del culto.
Avendo guarito miracolosamente un bimbo cui si era conficcata una lisca in
gola, è invocato come protettore per i mali di quella parte del corpo. A
quell'atto risale il rito della "benedizione della gola", compiuto
con due candele incrociate. (Avvenire)
Patronato: Malattie
della gola
Etimologia: Biagio =
bleso, balbuziente, dal latino
Emblema: Bastone
pastorale, Candela, Palma, Pettine per lana
Martirologio
Romano: San Biagio, vescovo e martire, che in quanto cristiano subì a
Sivas nell’antica Armenia il martirio sotto l’imperatore Licinio.
Poco si conosce della vita di San Biagio, di cui oggi si festeggia la memoria liturgica. Notizie biografiche sul Santo si possono riscontrare nell’agiografia di Camillo Tutini, che raccolse numerose testimonianze tramandate oralmente. Si sa che fu medico e vescovo di Sebaste in Armenia e che il suo martirio è avvenuto durante le persecuzioni dei cristiani, intorno al 316, nel corso dei contrasti tra gli imperatori Costantino (Occidente) e Licino (Oriente).
Catturato dai Romani fu picchiato e scorticato vivo con dei pettini di ferro, quelli che venivano usati per cardare la lana, ed infine decapitato per aver rifiutato di abiurare la propria fede in Cristo. Si tratta di un Santo conosciuto e venerato tanto in Occidente, quanto in Oriente. Il suo culto è molto diffuso sia nella Chiesa Cattolica che in quella Ortodossa.
Nella sua città natale, dove svolse il suo ministero vescovile, si narra che operò numerosi miracoli, tra gli altri si ricorda quello per cui è conosciuto, ossia, la guarigione, avvenuta durante il periodo della sua prigionia, di un ragazzo da una lisca di pesce conficcata nella trachea. Tutt’oggi, infatti, il Santo lo si invoca per i “mali alla gola”.
Inoltre San Biagio fa parte dei quattordici cosiddetti santi ausiliatori, ossia, quei santi invocati per la guarigione di mali particolari. Venerato in moltissime città e località italiane, delle quali, di molte, è anche il santo patrono, viene festeggiato il 3 febbraio in quasi tutta la penisola italica.
È tradizione introdurre, nel mezzo della celebrazione liturgica, una speciale benedizione alle “gole” dei fedeli, impartita dal parroco incrociando due candele (anticamente si usava olio benedetto). Interessanti sono anche alcune tradizioni popolari tramandatesi nel tempo in occasione dei festeggiamenti del Santo. Chi usa, come a Milano, festeggiare in famiglia mangiando i resti dei panettoni avanzati appositamente a Natale, e chi prepara dei dolci tipici con forme particolari, che ricordano il santo, benedetti dal parroco e distribuiti poi ai fedeli. A Lanzara, una frazione della provincia di Salerno, per esempio, è tradizione mangiare la famosa “polpetta di San Biagio”.
Nella città di Salemi, invece, si narra che nel 1542 il Santo salvò la popolazione da una grave carestia, causata da un’invasione di cavallette che distrusse i raccolti nelle campagne, intercedendo ed esaudendo le preghiere del popolo che invocava il suo aiuto (san Biagio, infatti, oltre che essere protettore dei “mali della gola” è anche protettore delle messi); da quel giorno a Salemi, ogni anno il 3 di febbraio, si festeggia il Santo preparando i cosiddetti “cavadduzzi”, letteralmente “cavallette”, per ricordare il miracolo, e i “caddureddi” (la cui forma rappresenta la “gola”), che sono dei piccoli pani preparati con acqua e farina, benedetti dal parroco e distribuiti poi ai fedeli. Dal 2008 inoltre, sempre a Salemi, viene organizzata, con la collaborazione di tutte le scuole e associazioni della città, una spettacolare rappresentazione del “miracolo delle cavallette” che si conclude con l’arrivo alla chiesa del Santo per deporre i doni e farsi benedire le “gole”.
A Cannara, invece, un comune della provincia di Perugia, i festeggiamenti del Santo sono occasione per sfidarsi in antichi giochi di abilità popolani come, ad esempio, il simpatico gioco, attestato già nel XVI secolo, del “Ruzzolone”, ossia, far rotolare più a lungo possibile delle forme di formaggio per le vie del centro storico, o la famosa corsa dei sacchi e molti altri giochi ancora, per concludersi con la solenne processione con la statua del Santo accompagnati dalla banda musicale del posto.
A Fiuggi, invece, la sera prima, si bruciano nella piazza del paese davanti al municipio le “stuzze”, delle grandi cataste di legna a forma piramidale, in ricordo del miracolo avvenuto nel 1298 che vide San Biagio far apparire delle finte fiamme nella città, tanto da indurre le truppe nemiche, che attendevano fuori le mura pronte ad attaccare, a ripiegare pensando d’esser state precedute dagli alleati.
Le reliquie di San Biagio sono custodite nella Basilica di Maratea, città di cui è santo protettore: vi arrivarono nel 723 all’interno di un’urna marmorea con un carico che da Sebaste doveva giungere a Roma, viaggio poi interrotto a Maratea, unica città della Basilicata che si affaccia sul Mar Tirreno, a causa di una bufera.
Si racconta che la le pareti della Basilica, e più avanti anche la statua a lui eretta nel 1963 in cima alla Basilica, stillarono una specie di liquido giallastro che i fedeli raccolsero e usarono per curare i malati. Papa Pio IV nel 1563, allora vescovo, riconobbe tale liquido come “manna celeste”.
Non a caso a Maratea il Santo assume una valenza particolare e viene
festeggiato per ben 2 volte l’anno; il 3 febbraio, come di consueto, e il
giorno dell’anniversario della traslazione delle reliquie, dove i
festeggiamenti durano 8 giorni, dal primo sabato di maggio fino alla seconda
domenica del mese.
Autore: Pietro Barbini
Fonte: ZENIT
C’è una sua statua anche su una guglia del Duomo di Milano, la città dove in passato il panettone natalizio non si mangiava mai tutto intero, riservandone sempre una parte per la festa del nostro santo. (E tuttora si vende a Milano il “panettone di san Biagio”, che sarebbe quello avanzato durante le festività natalizie). San Biagio lo si venera tanto in Oriente quanto in Occidente, e per la sua festa è diffuso il rito della “benedizione della gola”, fatta poggiandovi due candele incrociate (oppure con l’unzione, mediante olio benedetto), sempre invocando la sua intercessione. L’atto si collega a una tradizione secondo cui il vescovo Biagio avrebbe prodigiosamente liberato un bambino da una spina o lisca conficcata nella sua gola.
Vescovo, dunque. Governava, si ritiene, la comunità di Sebaste d’Armenia quando nell’Impero romano si concede la libertà di culto ai cristiani: nel 313, sotto Costantino e Licinio, entrambi “Augusti”, cioè imperatori (e pure cognati: Licinio ha sposato una sorella di Costantino). Licinio governa l’Oriente, e perciò ha tra i suoi sudditi anche Biagio. Il quale però muore martire intorno all’anno 316, ossia dopo la fine delle persecuzioni. Perché?
Non c’è modo di far luce. Il fatto sembra dovuto al dissidio scoppiato tra i due imperatori-cognati nel 314, e proseguito con brevi tregue e nuove lotte fino al 325, quando Costantino farà strangolare Licinio a Tessalonica (Salonicco). Il conflitto provoca in Oriente anche qualche persecuzione locale – forse ad opera di governatori troppo zelanti, come scrive lo storico Eusebio di Cesarea nello stesso IV secolo – con distruzioni di chiese, condanne dei cristiani ai lavori forzati, uccisioni di vescovi, tra cui Basilio di Amasea, nella regione del Mar Nero.
Per Biagio i racconti tradizionali, seguendo modelli frequenti in queste opere, che vogliono soprattutto stimolare la pietà e la devozione dei cristiani, sono ricchi di vicende prodigiose, ma allo stesso tempo incontrollabili. Il corpo di Biagio è stato deposto nella sua cattedrale di Sebaste; ma nel 732 una parte dei resti mortali viene imbarcata da alcuni cristiani armeni alla volta di Roma. Una improvvisa tempesta tronca però il loro viaggio a Maratea (Potenza): e qui i fedeli accolgono le reliquie del santo in una chiesetta, che poi diventerà l’attuale basilica, sull’altura detta ora Monte San Biagio, sulla cui vetta fu eretta nel 1963 la grande statua del Redentore, alta 21 metri.
Dal 1863 ha assunto il nome di Monte San Biagio la cittadina chiamata prima Monticello (in provincia di Latina) e disposta sul versante sudovest del Monte Calvo. Numerosi altri luoghi nel nostro Paese sono intitolati a lui: San Biagio della Cima (Imperia), San Biagio di Callalta (Treviso), San Biagio Platani (Agrigento), San Biagio Saracinisco (Frosinone) e San Biase (Chieti). Ma poi lo troviamo anche in Francia, in Spagna, in Svizzera e nelle Americhe... Ne ha fatta tanta di strada, il vescovo armeno della cui vita sappiamo così poco.
Autore: Domenico Agasso
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/25950
San Biagio, vescovo di
Sebaste e martire
Protettore della gola e
degli otorinolaringoiatri, del bestiame e delle attività agricole, della vita
di San Biagio si hanno poche notizie certe: l’unica cosa sicura era la sua fede
in Cristo che custodì fino alla morte arrivata per decapitazione dopo indicibili
torture.
Vescovo e medico
La tradizione vuole
Biagio originario di Sebaste, in Armenia, dove trascorse la giovinezza
dedicandosi in particolare agli studi di medicina. Divenuto vescovo, si occupò
della cura sia fisica che spirituale della gente, compiendo, secondo la
tradizione, anche guarigioni prodigiose. In quegli anni le condizioni di vita
per i fedeli di fede cristiana peggiorarono a causa dei contrasti tra
l’imperatore d’Oriente Licinio e d’Occidente Costantino, che portarono a nuove
persecuzioni. Biagio, per sfuggire alle violenze, si rifugiò in una caverna del
Monte Argeo, vivendo in solitudine e preghiera, guidando anche da lì la sua
Chiesa con messaggi inviati in segreto.
Il miracolo della gola
Alla fine, però, Biagio
fu scoperto, arrestato dalle guardie del governatore Agricola e condotto al
giudizio. Lungo la strada incontrò una madre disperata con il figlioletto in
braccio che stava soffocando a causa di una spina o una lisca di pesce
incastrata nella gola. Il vescovo lo benedisse e questi guarì all’istante. Ma
ciò non bastò a risparmiargli il martirio dopo atroci torture che non
riuscirono a piegarlo nello spirito.
Il naufragio delle
reliquie
Dopo la morte, Biagio fu
seppellito nella cattedrale di Sebaste, ma nel 723 una parte dei suoi resti
viene traslata a Roma. Durante il viaggio un’improvvisa tempesta fa però
fermare le reliquie a Maratea, sulla costa dell’attuale Basilicata, terra che
infatti ancora oggi riserva a Biagio una grande devozione.
Il culto di S. Biagio
Biagio è uno di quei
Santi la cui fama ha raggiunto molti luoghi e per questo oggi è venerato un po’
ovunque. Il miracolo della gola che compì sul bambino è ancora ricordato ogni 3
febbraio con una particolare liturgia nel corso della quale viene benedetta la
gola dei fedeli con due candele incrociate davanti alla gola stessa.
SOURCE : https://www.vaticannews.va/it/santo-del-giorno/02/03/san-biagio--vescovo-di-sebaste-e-martire.html
San Biagio (Maratea), Basilica di
Maratea Licenza. Ente di proteziome: Ass. Beni Culturali della Basilicata
San Biagio, il martire
che protegge dal mal di gola
03/02/2025 Secondo la tradizione fu vescovo della comunità di Sebaste in Armenia al tempo della "pax" costantiniana. Avendo guarito miracolosamente un bimbo cui si era conficcata una lisca in gola, è invocato come protettore per i mali di quella parte del corpo. A questo avvenimento risale il rito della "benedizione della gola", compiuto con due candele incrociate. Nell'VIII secolo alcuni armeni portarono le reliquie a Maratea (Potenza), di cui è patrono e dove è sorta una basilica in suo onore
Poco si conosce della
vita di San Biagio. Notizie biografiche sul Santo si possono riscontrare
nell’agiografia di Camillo Tutini, che raccolse numerose testimonianze
tramandate oralmente. Si sa che fu medico e vescovo di Sebaste in Armenia e che
il suo martirio è avvenuto durante le persecuzioni dei cristiani, intorno al
316, nel corso dei contrasti tra gli imperatori Costantino (Occidente) e Licino
(Oriente). Catturato dai Romani fu picchiato e scorticato vivo con dei
pettini di ferro, quelli che venivano usati per cardare la lana, ed infine
decapitato per aver rifiutato di abiurare la propria fede in Cristo. Si tratta
di un Santo conosciuto e venerato tanto in Occidente, quanto in Oriente. Il suo
culto è molto diffuso sia nella Chiesa Cattolica che in quella Ortodossa. Nella
sua città natale, dove svolse il suo ministero vescovile, si narra che operò
numerosi miracoli, tra gli altri si ricorda quello per cui è conosciuto, ossia,
la guarigione, avvenuta durante il periodo della sua prigionia, di un ragazzo
da una lisca di pesce conficcata nella trachea. Tutt’oggi, infatti, il
Santo lo si invoca per il mal di gola.
Inoltre San Biagio fa parte dei quattordici cosiddetti santi ausiliatori,
ossia, quei santi invocati per la guarigione di mali particolari. Venerato in
moltissime città e località italiane, delle quali, di molte, è anche il santo
patrono, viene festeggiato il 3 febbraio in quasi tutta la penisola italica. È
tradizione introdurre, nel mezzo della celebrazione liturgica, una
speciale benedizione alle “gole” dei fedeli, impartita dal parroco incrociando
due candele (anticamente si usava olio benedetto). Interessanti sono anche
alcune tradizioni popolari tramandatesi nel tempo in occasione dei
festeggiamenti del Santo.
Le tradizioni popolari,
dal panetùn di Milano ai cavadduzzi
Chi usa, come a
Milano, festeggiare in famiglia mangiando i resti dei panettoni avanzati
appositamente a Natale, e chi prepara dei dolci tipici con forme
particolari, che ricordano il santo, benedetti dal parroco e distribuiti poi ai
fedeli.
A Lanzara, una
frazione della provincia di Salerno, per esempio, è tradizione mangiare la
famosa “polpetta di San Biagio”. Nella città di Salemi, invece, si narra che
nel 1542 il Santo salvò la popolazione da una grave carestia, causata da
un’invasione di cavallette che distrusse i raccolti nelle campagne,
intercedendo ed esaudendo le preghiere del popolo che invocava il suo aiuto
(san Biagio, infatti, oltre che essere protettore dei “mali della gola” è anche
protettore delle messi); da quel giorno a Salemi, ogni anno il 3 di
febbraio, si festeggia il Santo preparando i cosiddetti “cavadduzzi”,
letteralmente “cavallette”, per ricordare il miracolo, e i “caddureddi” (la cui
forma rappresenta la “gola”), che sono dei piccoli pani preparati con acqua e
farina, benedetti dal parroco e distribuiti poi ai fedeli.
Dal 2008 inoltre, sempre
a Salemi, viene organizzata, con la collaborazione di tutte le scuole e
associazioni della città, una spettacolare rappresentazione del “miracolo delle
cavallette” che si conclude con l’arrivo alla chiesa del Santo per deporre i
doni e farsi benedire le “gole”.
Le reliquie a Maratea
Le reliquie di San Biagio
sono custodite nella Basilica di Maratea, città di cui è santo protettore:
vi arrivarono nel 723 all’interno di un’urna marmorea con un carico che da
Sebaste doveva giungere a Roma, viaggio poi interrotto a Maratea, unica città
della Basilicata che si affaccia sul Mar Tirreno, a causa di una bufera. Si
racconta che la le pareti della Basilica, e più avanti anche la statua a lui
eretta nel 1963 in cima alla Basilica, stillarono una specie di liquido
giallastro che i fedeli raccolsero e usarono per curare i malati.
Papa Pio IV nel 1563,
allora vescovo, riconobbe tale liquido come “manna celeste”. Non a caso a
Maratea il Santo assume una valenza particolare e viene festeggiato per ben due
volte l’anno; il 3 febbraio, come di consueto, e il giorno
dell’anniversario della traslazione delle reliquie, dove i festeggiamenti
durano 8 giorni, dal primo sabato di maggio fino alla seconda domenica del
mese.
SOURCE : https://www.famigliacristiana.it/articolo/san-biagio-il-martire-che-protegge-dal-mal-di-gola.aspx
_16_07_2019_13.jpg)
Biagio di Sebaste, noto come San Biagio (San Biase in alcune varietà dialettali)
(Sebaste, III secolo –
Sebaste, 3 febbraio 316), è stato un vescovo e santo armeno, venerato come
Santo dalla Chiesa cattolica (vescovo e martire) e dalla Chiesa ortodossa.
Vissuto tra il III e il
IV secolo a Sebaste in Armenia (Asia Minore), era medico e venne nominato
vescovo della sua città. A causa della sua fede venne imprigionato dai Romani;
durante il processo rifiutò di rinnegare la fede cristiana; per punizione fu
straziato con i pettini di ferro, che si usano per cardare la lana. Morì
decapitato.
San Biagio muore martire
tre anni dopo la concessione della libertà di culto nell'Impero Romano (313).
Una motivazione plausibile sul suo martirio può essere trovata nel dissidio tra
Costantino I e Licinio, i due imperatori-cognati (314), che portò a
persecuzioni locali, con distruzione di chiese, condanne ai lavori forzati per
i cristiani e condanne a morte per i vescovi.
Pochissimo di certo sappiamo sulla vita del Santo. Le poche storie sulla biografia dell'armeno sono state tramandate prima oralmente e poi raccolte in agiografie, come in quella famosa di Camillo Tutini, "Narratione della vita e miracoli di S. Biagio Vescovo e Martire" (Napoli, 1637)
Nel sinassario armeno, al giorno 10 febbraio, si legge un compendio della vita
del Santo:
«Nel tempo della persecuzione di Licinio, imperatore perfido, san Biagio fuggì, ed abitò nel monte Ardeni o Argias; e quando vi abitava il santo, tutte le bestie dei boschi venivano a lui ed erano mansuete con lui, egli le accarezzava; egli era di professione medico, ma con l'aiuto del Signore sanava tutte le infermità e degli uomini e delle bestie ma non con medicine, ma con il nome di Cristo. E se qualcuno inghiottiva un osso, o una spina, e questa si metteva di traverso nella gola di lui, il santo con la preghiera l'estraeva, e sin da adesso ciò opera; se alcuno inghiotte un osso, o spina, col solo ricordare il nome di S. Biagio subito guarisce dal dolore. Una povera donna aveva un maiale, il quale fu rapito da un lupo; venne la donna dal Vescovo, e con pianto gli fece capire come il lupo aveva rapito il suo maiale; allora il Santo minacciò il lupo, e questo rilasciò il maiale. Fu ad Agricolao accusato il Vescovo, il quale mandò soldati, che lo condussero avanti ad esso; il giudice gli fece molte interrogazioni, ed egli in tutta libertà confessò, che Cristo era Dio, e maledisse gli idoli, e i loro adoratori, e però subito fu messo in prigione. Sentì la vedova, che il Vescovo era stato messo in prigione, uccise il maiale, cucinò la testa e i piedi d'esso, e li portò al Vescovo con altri cibi e legumi: mangiò il Santo, e benedisse la donna, e l'ammonì, che dopo la sua morte ciò facesse ogni anno nel giorno della sua commemorazione, e chi ciò facesse in memoria di lui sarebbe la sua casa ricolma d'ogni bene. E dopo alcuni giorni levarono il santo dalla carcere, e lo portarono davanti al giudice, e confessò la sua prima confessione, e chiamò gli idoli demoni, e gli adoratori degli idoli chiamò adoratori del demonio. Si sdegnò il giudice: legarono il Santo ad un legno, e cominciarono coi pettini di ferro a stracciargli la carne, e appresso lo deposero e portarono in carcere. Sette donne lo seguirono, le quali col sangue del Santo ungevano il loro cuore e volto: i custodi delle carceri presero le donne, e le portarono al giudice, e le sante donne confessarono, che Cristo era Dio; furono rilasciate; ma le donne non contente di ciò andarono dagli idoli, e sputarono esse in faccia, e racchiusi tutti in un sacco, e quello legato fu da esse gettato in un lago. Ciò fatto tornarono al giudice dicendogli: «Vedi la forza dei tuoi dei, se possono uscire dal profondo lago.» Comandò il giudice, che si preparasse il fuoco, e piombo liquefatto, spade, pettini di ferro, ed altri tormenti; a dall'altra parte fece porre tele di seta, ed altri ornamenti donneschi d'oro, d'argento e disse alle donne: «Scegliete quel che volete.» Le donne pure gettarono le tele nel fuoco, e sputarono sopra gli ornamenti. Si sdegnò il giudice, e comandò che si apprendessero, e con pettini di ferro fece dilacerare il corpo, e poi le gettarono nel fuoco, da cui uscirono illese, e dopo molti tormenti tagliarono ad esse la testa, e così consumarono il martirio. Ma il Santo Biagio lo gettarono nel fiume, ed il Santo si sedette sopra l'acqua quasi sopra un ponte. Entrarono nel fiume 79 soldati per estrarre il santo, e tutti s'affogarono, ed il Santo uscì senza danno: lo presero per tagliargli la testa; e quando arrivarono a quel luogo, orò lunga orazione e domandò a Dio, che se alcuno inghiotte osso, o spina, che gli si attraversi la gola, e senta dolore, e preghi Dio col nominar lui, subito sia libero dal pericolo. Allora calò sopra di lui una nuvola, e si sentì da quella una voce che diceva: «Saranno adempiute le tue domande, o carissimo Biagio: tu vieni, e riposa nella gloria incomprensibile che ti ho preparato per le tue fatiche.» Appresso tagliarono la testa al Vescovo Biagio nella città di Sebaste. Uno chiamato Alessio prese il corpo del Santo Biagio Vescovo, e lo ravvolse in sindone monda, e lo seppellì sotto il muro della città, dove si fanno molti miracoli a gloria del nostro Dio Gesù.»
La più antica citazione
scritta sul santo è contenuta nei Medicinales di Ezio di Amida,
vissuto nel VI secolo. Riguardo ai mali di gola, nella traduzione latina di
Giano Corsaro dell'opera del medico greco, si legge:
«Se la spina o l'osso non
volesse uscire fuori, volgiti all'ammalato e digli «Esci fuori, osso, se pure
sei osso, o checché sii: esci come Lazzaro alla voce di Cristo uscì dal
sepolcro, e Giona dal ventre della balena.» Ovvero fatto sull'ammalato il segno
della croce, puoi proferire le parole che Biagio martire e servo di Cristo
usava dire in simili casi «O ascendi o discendi».»
SOURCE : https://comunitavalmorea.blogspot.com/p/san-biagio.html
Reliquiario di san Biagio, inizio XVI
secolo, chiesa di Lorenzo, Brescia.
3 febbraio: San Biagio, vescovo e martire
Oggi la Chiesa commemora
un vescovo, medico e martire armeno. A lui i fedeli si rivolgono per la cura
dei mali fisici e in particolare per la guarigione dalle malattie della gola
San Biagio, vescovo e
martire, che in quanto cristiano subì a Sivas nell’antica Armenia il martirio
sotto l’imperatore Licinio. (dal Martirologio)
Biagio era un medico
armeno. Visse tra il III e il IV secolo a Sebaste, in Armenia (Asia Minore). È
venerato come santo dalla Chiesa cattolica e dalla Chiesa ortodossa.
Anche se medico, venne
nominato vescovo della sua città. A causa della sua fede venne imprigionato dai
romani, ma durante il processo rifiutò di rinnegare la fede cristiana; per
punizione fu straziato con i pettini di ferro, che si usano per cardare la
lana. Morì decapitato nel 316.
San Biagio morì martire
tre anni dopo la concessione della libertà di culto nell’Impero Romano. Una
motivazione plausibile sul suo martirio può essere trovata nel dissidio tra
Costantino I e Licinio, i due imperatori-cognati, che portò a persecuzioni
locali, con distruzione di chiese, condanne ai lavori forzati per i cristiani e
condanne a morte per i vescovi.
Gli sono stati attribuiti
diversi miracoli, tra cui il salvataggio di un bambino che stava soffocando
dopo aver ingerito una lisca di pesce.
Nella Basilica di San
Biagio a Maratea, alla destra della Regia Cappella dedicata al santo, vi è la
palla di ferro sparata dai cannoni francesi durante l’assedio del dicembre
1806; su questa palla di ferro, inesplosa, sono ben visibili delle impronte
che, secondo la tradizione, sarebbero le dita della mano destra di san Biagio.
Relativamente alla sola
esperienza della cittadina di Fiuggi, si narra che nel 1298 fece apparire delle
finte fiamme sul paese, proprio mentre questi era in procinto di essere messo
sotto assedio dalle truppe papali. La cittadina, che all’epoca si chiamava
Anticoli di Campagna, era feudo dei Colonna che a loro volta erano in guerra
con la nobile famiglia romana dei Cajetani. L’intenzione dei Cajetani era
quella di attaccare il paese da due lati: dal basso scendendo dal castello di
Monte Porciano e dall’alto, alle spalle di Fiuggi dalla parte di Torre
Cajetani; in virtù di tale piano divisero le proprie forze. San Biagio avrebbe
fatto apparire delle finte fiamme che indussero le truppe nemiche, che oramai
si accingevano all’attacco, a pensare di essere state precedute dalle forze
alleate. Di conseguenza mossero oltre, ritornando ai loro alloggiamenti. I
fedeli il giorno successivo lo elessero patrono della città.
A ricordo di ciò persiste
tuttora l’antica tradizione paesana di bruciare grandi cataste di legna di
forma piramidale, denominate stuzze, a ricordo dell’apparizione. Tale
manifestazione avviene la sera del 2 febbraio di ogni anno nella piazza più
alta del paese (piazza Trento e Trieste), dinnanzi al Municipio.
A Salemi, in provincia di
Trapani, San Biagio è compatrono assieme a San Nicola della città dal 1542. Si
narra che in quell’anno, sotto il regno di Carlo V, la città di Salemi e le
campagne circostanti, venissero invase dalle cavallette che ne distrussero i
raccolti procurando, così, fame e carestia, allora i salemitani pregarono San
Biagio, protettore delle messi e dei cereali, di liberarli da tale flagello e
il Santo esaudì queste loro preghiere. Da allora i Salemitani, per grazia
ricevuta e in ricordo di questo evento, nella ricorrenza della festa del santo,
ogni anno il 3 febbraio, preparano dei pani in miniatura: i cavadduzzi, cioè le
cavallette e i cuddureddi, (impastando farina e acqua) questi ultimi
rappresentano la gola di cui San Biagio è protettore. La chiesetta dedicata al
Santo si trova nel quartiere del Rabbato, il 3 febbraio cuddureddi e cavadduzzi
vengono benedetti e distribuiti ai fedeli che accorrono da ogni parte della
città per pregare il Santo e per farsi benedire la gola dal sacerdote con le
candele accese e incrociate.
Dal 2008 viene fatta una
rievocazione storica del miracolo delle cavallette, che vede dame, nobili,e
cavalieri, clero e popolani in costume medievale, uscire dal castello,
percorrere tutto il centro storico e arrivare alla chiesa del Santo per deporre
i doni e benedire le gole. Manifestazione a cui partecipano tutte le
associazioni cittadine e le scuole.
Tra le tradizioni
popolari, più interessanti si ricordano: Acquaviva Collecroce (Campobasso): il
3 febbraio, durante la celebrazione liturgica si benedicono le gole dei fedeli.
Anticamente con l’olio benedetto, ora mediante due candele incrociate. Per
l’occorrenza si preparano le “Pandiçe” (pane di San Biagio) e dei dolci di
forma circolare chiamati “Colaci”. La Parrocchia conserva una pregevole tela
del ‘500 raffigurante il martirio di San Biagio; una Reliquia donata al popolo
verso la metà del ‘700 e un’artistica statua in cartapesta del 1886 dello
scultore sordomuto Gabriele Falcucci di Atessa.
Cannara (Perugia): il 3
febbraio si festeggia San Biagio con lo svolgimento di giochi della tradizione
popolare. Il Gioco delle Forme di Formaggio, che i cannaresi in gara fanno
ruzzolare per le vie della cittadina; il Gioco delle Brocche, appese a una
corda tra un palazzo e l’altro, i partecipanti cercano di colpirle con un
bastone a occhi categoricamente bendati; il Gioco degli Spaghetti, che premia
il vincitore che ha finito per primo il piatto di pasta con le mani legate
dietro la schiena. Momento solenne è quello della processione religiosa con la
statua lignea del Santo, accompagnata dai fedeli e dalle note della banda
comunale, il “Concerto Musicale Francesco Morlacchi”, attiva dalla fondazione
nel 1843.
Lanzara (Salerno): il 3
febbraio si festeggia il santo con una festa che richiama a se più di 30000
fedeli, è tradizione mangiare la famosa “Polpetta di S.Biagio”, e, per tener
viva questa tradizione, nel periodo della festa viene fatta la “Sagra della
Polpetta”, tra le più longeve dell’Agro Nocerino Sarnese.
Lettomanoppello (Pescara):
il 3 febbraio si celebra la festa liturgica di San Biagio, nell’occasione
durante la celebrazione eucaristica il parroco, oltre a benedire la gola dei
fedeli con due candele incrociate, benedice, come da secolare tradizione, i
“tarallucci di San Biagio” che sono dei dolci a forma di piccola ciambella
impastati con semini di anice. I tarallucci poi vengono riportati a casa e
donati a parenti e amici che dopo averli baciati ne mangiano per ingraziarsi la
protezione di San Biagio, particolarmente a protezione della gola e dai mali di
stagione.
Maratea (Potenza), si
tengono due feste in onore del santo: una è quella del 3 febbraio, quando si
tiene la benedizione della gola dei fedeli; la seconda, più fastosa, è quella
dell’anniversario della traslazione delle reliquie, che si svolge a partire dal
primo sabato fino alla seconda domenica di maggio, settimana in cui si svolgono
ben quattro processioni del simulacro del santo.
Romallo (Trento), si
trova un interessante eremo dedicato a San Biagio. Il 3 febbraio si celebra la
messa e viene impartita la benedizione della gola.
Milano o Domodossola
(Novara), dove il culto di san Biagio è molto vivo, è tradizione mangiare
insieme in famiglia ciò che è rimasto del panettone natalizio. In questo giorno
si vendono a poco prezzo i cosiddetti panettoni di san Biagio, gli ultimi
rimasti dal periodo festivo.
San Martino in Pensilis
(Campobasso): il 3 febbraio si svolge la Festa di San Biagio, in onore del
Santo, compatrono della città.
Taranta Peligna (Chieti):
il 3 febbraio si celebra la Festa di San Biagio, in onore del Santo protettore
dei lanaioli, con una cerimonia di grande fascino, vengono preparate le
“Panicelle”, pani a forma di mano che vengono distribuite fra le genti del
Paese. Il legame tra Taranta Peligna e il culto di San Biagio è testimoniato
anche dalla presenza dei lanifici che hanno dato lustro al pese per la
lavorazione delle coperte abruzzesi chiamate “tarante”.
I fedeli si rivolgono a
san Biagio, nella sua qualità di medico, anche per la cura dei mali fisici e in
particolare per la guarigione dalle malattie della gola: è tra i quattordici
santi ausiliatori. Durante la sua celebrazione liturgica, in molte chiese i
sacerdoti benedicono le gole dei fedeli accostando a esse due candele; per
questo è anche patrono degli specialisti otorinolaringoiatri. È anche
protettore dei cardatori di lana, degli animali e delle attività agricole.
Altri Santi che la Chiesa
commemora il 3 febbraio
Sant’Oscar, vescovo di
Amburgo – Sant’Oscar, vescovo di Amburgo e poi insieme di Brema in
Sassonia: dapprima monaco di Corbie, fu nominato da papa Gregorio IV suo legato
in tutto il Settentrione; in Danimarca e Svezia annunciò il Vangelo a una
moltitudine di popoli e vi fondò la Chiesa di Cristo, superando con forza
d’animo molte difficoltà, finché, sfinito dalle fatiche, a Brema trovò riposo. (dal
Martirologio)
Santi Simeone e Anna
– A Gerusalemme, commemorazione dei santi Simeone e Anna, il primo anziano
giusto e pio, l’altra vedova e profetessa: quando Gesù bambino fu portato al tempio
per essere presentato secondo la consuetudine della legge, essi lo salutarono
come Messia e Salvatore, beata speranza e redenzione d’Israele. (dal
Martirologio)
San Celerino, lettore e
martire – A Cartagine, nell’odierna Tunisia, san Celerino, lettore e
martire: in carcere, non vinto da ceppi, spada e vari supplizi, confessò
Cristo, seguendo le orme di sua nonna Celerina già da tempo coronata dal
martirio, dello zio paterno Lorenzo e dello zio materno Ignazio, che, un tempo
soldati attivi nella vita militare, ma poi divenuti vera milizia di Dio,
ottennero con la loro gloriosa passione la palma e la corona dal Signore. (dal
Martirologio)
San Leonio, sacerdote
– A Poitiers in Aquitania, ora in Francia, san Leonio, sacerdote, che si
tramanda sia stato discepolo di sant’Ilario. (dal Martirologio)
Santi Teridio e Remedio,
vescovi – A Gap in Provenza in Francia, santi Teridio e Remedio, vescovi. (dal
Martirologio)
San Lupicino, vescovo
– A Lione in Francia, san Lupicino, vescovo, al tempo della persecuzione dei
Vandali. (dal Martirologio)
Sant’Adelino, sacerdote e
abate – Nel monastero di Celles nell’Hainault, nell’odierno Belgio,
sant’Adelino, sacerdote e abate. (dal Martirologio)
Santa Verburga, badessa
– A Chester nella Mercia in Inghilterra, santa Verburga, badessa di Ely,
fondatrice di vari monasteri. (dal Martirologio)
Santa Berlinda, vergine
– A Meerbeke in Brabante, nell’odierno Belgio, santa Berlinda, vergine,
che condusse in questa città una religiosa vita di povertà e di carità. (dal
Martirologio)
Santa Maria di
Sant’Ignazio (Claudina) Thévenet, vergine – A Lione in Francia, santa
Maria di Sant’Ignazio (Claudina) Thévenet, vergine, che mossa da carità e da
forza d’animo fondò la Congregazione delle Suore dei Sacri Cuori di Gesù e
Maria per la formazione cristiana delle giovani, soprattutto povere. (dal
Martirologio)
Per iscriverti al nostro
canale Telegram con solo le notizie di Papa & Vaticano, clicca su questo link
Seguici anche su Facebook, clicca su questo link
SOURCE : https://www.ilquadrantenews.it/santo-del-giorno/3-febbraio-san-biagio-vescovo-e-martire/
San Biagio. Colour photogravure, 1898.
San Biagio, vescovo e
martire
3 Febbraio
Medico e vescovo di
Sebaste, si occupò della cura sia fisica che spirituale della gente,
compiendo, secondo la tradizione, guarigioni prodigiose. Custodì la fede in
Cristo fino al martirio avvenuto per decapitazione dopo indicibili torture.
Nome di battesimoBiagio
NascitaIII Secolo
Morte3 Febbraio 316
CONDIVIDI QUESTO SANTO
Protettore di:
Otorinolaringoiatri,
cardatori di lana, animali e attività agricole. Inoltre, è invocato per le
malattie della gola e del naso.
Città delle spoglie:Maratea
Vita del Santo
Poco si conosce della
vita di san Biagio. Notizie biografiche si possono riscontrare nell’agiografia
di Camillo Tutini, che raccolse numerose testimonianze tramandate oralmente.
Certo è che la sua vita, per lo più intrisa di leggenda, ha lasciato segni
di fede e devozione molto profonda in tutto il mondo. Uomo retto e probo,
venne eletto vescovo nella città di Sebaste, dove rimase sino all’inizio delle
persecuzioni di Licinio contro i cristiani. Biagio decide di trasferirsi nelle
montagne, precisamente in una grotta sul Monte Argeo. Non per paura, non per
viltà, ma per continuare a svolgere la sua missione di pastore. Nel suo
rifugio, il vescovo Biagio venne costantemente visitato dai suoi fedeli fino a
quando non fu scoperto da alcuni cacciatori e denunciato al prefetto Agricolo,
che ne ordinò l’immediata cattura. Durante il suo eremitaggio, Biagio
convertì numerosi pagani e compì miracoli e guarigioni. La sua fama è
legata anche al mondo degli animali, che il santo trattava con lo stesso
rispetto dovuto agli uomini, quando malati e feriti. Per questo e per la
restituzione di un maiale ad una vedova, a cui un lupo l’aveva rubato, la
sua iconografia è talvolta legata ad un contesto agricolo e
contadino. Ma il suo miracolo più noto è certamente quello
della guarigione di un bambino che stava soffocando dopo aver
ingerito una lisca di pesce. Per la sua protezione verso i malanni che
infliggono tutte le malattie legate alla gola, san Biagio è
ritenuto protettore dei sofferenti per tali patologie, ma anche di chi si
adopera per le cure dell’apparato otorinolaringoiatrico. È venerato in
moltissime città e località italiane, delle quali, di molte, è anche il santo
patrono. È tradizione introdurre, nel mezzo della celebrazione
liturgica del 3 febbraio, una speciale benedizione alle “gole” dei fedeli,
impartita dal parroco incrociando due candele e pronunciando queste parole: «Per
l’intercessione di san Biagio, vescovo e martire, il Signore ti liberi dal mal
di gola e da ogni altro male. In nome del Padre e del Figlio e dello Spirito
Santo».
Agiografia
Si tratta di un santo
conosciuto e venerato tanto in Occidente quanto in Oriente, anche per
il forte legame con il mondo agricolo e pastorale. Il suo culto è molto
diffuso sia nella Chiesa Cattolica che in quella Ortodossa. Fin dal VI secolo,
il greco Aezio di Amida, autore di trattati medici, citava l’intercessione
del santo taumaturgo come potente rimedio contro le malattie
della gola, ma anche come fidato protettore degli animali domestici. Non
c’è regione d’Europa che non conosca il culto a san Biagio o non vanti il
possesso delle sue reliquie. Egli è tra l’altro il patrono di Dubrovnik. A san
Biagio è dedicato un importante monastero nella Selva Nera in Germania. È
titolare di una chiesa a Costantinopoli e misteriose reliquie si trovano anche
a Canterbury in Francia. Già nel XVIII secolo si organizzavano alcune
processioni in suo onore, come descrive Parson Woodforde nel suo “Diary of a
Country Parson”. Sabine Baring-Gould, alla fine del XIX secolo, scrive che era
abitudine recente in molte parti d’Inghilterra accendere i falò sulle colline
durante la notte di san Biagio. In alcune zone della Germania il giorno
dedicato al santo è chiamato “la piccola candelora” proprio a causa dei molti
falò che si è soliti appunto accendere quella notte. Senza contare la forte
devozione suscitata in tutta Italia, dalla Lombardia dove permangono molte
tradizioni legate al suo culto, fino al sud del paese dove il legame con
il santo è particolarmente diffuso e sentito.
Intervista impossibile di
Don Donato Pietro Partepilo al Santo
Come accogliere, da
sacerdote e da vescovo, la sofferenza fisica di chi incontro?
Caro Donato, come
fratello vescovo e medico, non posso far altro che dirti di non essere mai
indifferente di fronte al grido di chi soffre, sia fisicamente che
spiritualmente, imparando ad avere un occhio sensibile, compassionevole e
attento. Ciò che la persona del sofferente si aspetta da noi, uomini di Dio, è
che sappiamo ascoltare, prendendo sul serio quel dolore, senza giudicare, né
presentando soluzioni facili e preconfezionate, ma stando lì accanto con la
mente e il cuore, come Maria sotto la croce del Figlio.
Attraverso la gola
possiamo nutrirci oppure perdere la nostra libertà. Come possiamo aiutare le
persone a mangiare per vivere e non a vivere per mangiare?
Caro fratello, il Maestro
nel Vangelo ci ricorda di non affannarci di quello che mangeremo o berremo,
perché la nostra vita vale più del cibo e il Padre nostro celeste ci nutre
(cfr. Mt 6, 25-26). La Provvidenza non ci fa mai mancare quello di cui abbiamo bisogno
per vivere, ma come esseri umani dobbiamo sempre vigilare perché questi mezzi
abbondanti che possediamo restino tali, e non diventino mai fini. Non
dimentichiamoci di educare il nostro corpo e la nostra libertà ad avere un
rapporto equilibrato con le cose di questo mondo, compreso il cibo, imparando
sempre di nuovo anche l’arte della rinuncia e soprattutto la condivisione coi
poveri e i bisognosi.
Il nostro mondo vive di
parole pensate, pronunciate, scritte o trasmesse. Come ricordare a tutti,
giovani e adulti, che la lingua può uccidere più della spada?
Caro Donato, ricorda le
parole dell’Apostolo: “Se anche parlassi le lingue degli uomini e degli angeli,
ma non avessi la carità, sono come un bronzo che risuona o un cembalo che
tintinna” (1Cor 13,13). È proprio il criterio dell’amore vero, che siamo
chiamati a testimoniare sempre, a dare alle nostre parole la forza di
annunciare il Regno, edificare e consolare. La mancanza di amore, invece, le
rende armi pericolosissime, capaci di traviare, distruggere, scandalizzare e
persino uccidere. Impariamo a purificare sempre di più le motivazioni del
nostro dire e non dire, soprattutto coltivando un vero rapporto con la Parola,
per essere uomini e donne di parola.
La benedizione della gola
è un gesto della pietà popolare, vero tesoro della Chiesa? Come non farla mai
diventare una forma di superstizione?
Da quell’episodio della
mia vita, quando attraverso la mia povera persona, Dio manifestò la sua potenza
nel liberare il fanciullo dalla lisca di pesce incagliatasi in gola, da secoli
ogni anno il 3 febbraio, nel giorno della mia festa la Chiesa vive questo gesto
di devozione. Perché non diventi una forma di superstizione, è fondamentale
ricordare che il vero protagonista è sempre Dio, a cui chiediamo la benedizione
sulle nostre vite, per essere protetti dai mali fisici e spirituali della gola,
rinnovando il proposito di voler piacere sempre di più a Lui e distaccarci dal
peccato, con tutte le nostre forze. È evidente, dunque, che senza una vera fede
nel Cristo Risorto e Vivente e senza una vita sacramentale pienamente vissuta,
questo gesto diventa vuoto e insignificante!
Segni iconografici
distintivi
E’ ritratto con le
insegne episcopali, spesso con la palma, simbolo del martirio, il libro in mano
o con gli altri attributi specifici: le candele incrociate, il vaso delle
medicine, il pettine per cardare la lana.
Tradizione gastronomica
legata al culto
I “cannaruzzeddi di San
Brasi”, sono panini speciali, dalla forma simile alla trachea di cui si
desidera la protezione o la guarigione. A Milano, invece, si usa mangiare del
panettone del Natale appena trascorso, possibilmente raffermo e conservato per
questa giornata, come richiesta di protezione per naso e gola.
Curiosità
Il culto è legato anche
al detto milanese “San Biàs el benedis la gola e èl nas”. Per questo il santo
viene spesso invocato dai cantanti prima delle loro esibizioni, affinché ne
protegga la voce.
Preghiere a San Biagio
O glorioso San Biagio,
che, con una breve
preghiera,
restituisce la perfetta
sanità ad un bambino
che per una spina di
pesce attraversata nella gola
stava per mandare
l’ultimo anelito,
ottenete a noi tutti la
grazia di sperimentare
l’efficacia del vostro
patrocinio in tutti i mal di gola,
ma più di tutto, di
impiegare sempre la nostra lingua
a difendere le verità
della fede
tanto combattuta e
denigrata ai giorni nostri.
Così sia.
(di Autore Anonimo)
Martire glorioso, San
Biagio,
con sincera gioia ti
ringraziamo delle tante consolazioni che ci hai donato.
Con l’esempio della tua
vita cristiana
hai testimoniato l’amore
fedele e totale per Gesù,
salvatore del mondo.
Ti chiediamo di essere
misericordioso,
ottenendoci da Dio la
grazia della fedeltà al nostro battesimo.
Il mondo di oggi ci
corrompe con le attrattive pagane del denaro, del potere, dell’egoismo:
aiutaci a divenire i
testimoni delle beatitudini evangeliche,
per il raggiungimento
della felicità e della salvezza eterna.
Proteggici dalle malattie
della gola,
per le quali è ammirabile
la tua intercessione:
rendi coraggiose le
nostre parole e le nostre opere,
quali profeti e testimoni
della Parola del Vangelo.
Ottienici da Dio la
grazia di godere con te la beatitudine eterna nel cielo.
Amen.
(di Autore Anonimo)
Fonti
I santi del giorno ci
insegnano a vivere e a morire, Luigi Luzi, Shalom Editrice.
Il grande libro dei
santi, dizionario enciclopedico diretto da C. Leonardi, A. Riccardi, G. Zarri,
San Paolo Editore.
I santi secondo il
calendario, prefazione di Gianfranco Ravasi, edizioni Corriere della Sera.
SOURCE : https://www.unitineldono.it/santi/san-biagio-vescovo-e-martire/
Onder: Overweging
door Blasius
Blasius (ook Blaise, Blas, Blay, Vasco) van
Sebaste, Armenië; bisschop & martelaar; † ca 316.
Feest 3 & 11
(oosterse kerk) & 22 (Grieks-orthodoxe kerk) februari.
Bisschop Blasius hield
zich vanwege de heersende christenvervolgingen onder keizer Licinius (311-323)
schuil in een bos. Volgens de legende leefde hij daar in vrede met de wilde
dieren. Ze kwamen hem zelfs opzoeken om zich door hem te laten genezen. Hij werd
bij toeval gevonden, toen Romeinse soldaten op zoek waren naar wilde beesten
die men nodig had voor de spelen.
Een van de Romeinse
volksvermaken bestond erin dat ten aanschouwen van duizenden toeschouwers ter
dood veroordeelden in de arena moesten vechten met wilde dieren.
Dit is de geschiedenis van een heilige, die de dieren liefhad en daarom op zijn
beurt door de dieren werd bemind. Zo begint het prachtige verhaal over de
heilige Blasius, bisschop van Sebaste. Hij hielp en genas alle schepselen,
zowel mens als dier. De heidenen waren jaloers en wilden hem en andere
christenen doden in de plaatselijke arena. Daarom zond de gouverneur in 316
zijn soldaten de bergen in om wilde dieren te vangen voor die wrede spelen.
Maar er was geen beest te bekennen tot zij in Blasius' grot kwamen.
Daar vonden zij alle
dieren, en met name alle wilde dieren waarvoor zij zo bang waren: leeuwen,
tijgers, luipaarden, beren en wolven: zij brachten hun dagelijkse morgengroet
aan de heilige man. Midden tussen hen in lag Sint Blasius in gebed. Hij was
daar zo ernstig in verdiept, dat hij de soldaten die met hun netten en speren
waren gekomen om de dieren te vangen, zelfs niet opmerkte. Hoewel de dieren
zeer bang waren, bewogen zij zich niet en gaven geen enkel geluid; zij wilden
hun meester niet storen. Zij hielden zich doodstil, terwijl zij met hun grote
gele ogen de soldaten aanstaarden. Maar die waren zo verbaasd door wat zij daar
te zien kregen, dat ze stilletjes weer wegslopen zonder ook maar een vinger uit
te steken naar een van de dieren, ja zelfs zonder een woord te wisselen met de
heilige man. Zij veronderstelden natuurlijk dat zij een verschijning hadden van
Orfeus of van een andere heidense godheid, die de dieren betoverd had. En zij
gingen terug naar de gouverneur om hem te vertellen wat zij hadden meegemaakt.
"Zo, dat moet dan
een christen wezen", antwoordde gouverneur Agricola, toen hij het hele
verhaal gehoord had, "want alleen christenen zijn zulke dikke vrienden met
de dieren. Breng hem op staande voet hier vóór mij." Dat gebeurde.
Legende van de visgraat
Toen hij naar de stad werd overgebracht – aldus de Legenda Aurea – kwam
een vrouw op hem af met haar zoontje bij wie een visgraat in de keel was
blijven steken. Het kind dreigde te stikken. Onder tranen smeekte zij hem om
hulp. Blasius legde het kind de handen op en sprak een gebed uit dat het kind
gered mocht worden. En dat hetzelfde mocht gebeuren die in zijn,
Blasius’, naam God om hulp zouden vragen. Op hetzelfde moment werd het
jongetje gered.
Legende van het varken en de kaars
Een vrouwtje was straatarm. Een varken was al wat zij bezat. Dat nu was
gestolen door een wolf. Ten einde raad riep zij Blasius’ hulp in. De heilige
glimlachte en zei: “Wees maar niet bedroefd. U krijgt uw varken terug.” Op
hetzelfde moment verscheen de wolf met het varken en gaf het de vrouw terug.
Eenmaal in de stad werd
Blasius aan folteringen onderworpen, en gevangen gezet. Het vrouwtje aan wie
hij het varken had terugbezorgd, hoorde dat. Zij slachtte haar varken en bracht
hem de kop en de pootjes, een kaars en wat brood. Dankbaar nam hij ervan.
Daarbij zei hij tegen haar: “U moet in de kerk die aan mij wordt toegewijd elk
jaar een kaars offeren. Dat zal u, en ieder die dat doet, tot zegen strekken.”
Ze deed wat hij gezegd had; vanaf dat moment leidde zij een gelukkig en
zegenrijk leven.
[183]
Na veel folteringen werd
de heilige onthoofd. De dieren huilden en jankten voor de verlaten grot, en
snuffelend zochten zij hem overal, als verdwaalde honden die hun meester verloren
hadden. Ook voor de dieren in het woud was het een droeve dag, toen Sint
Blasius voor altijd van hen was afgenomen.
[167]
Zo werd Sint Blasius
opgepakt en aan folteringen onderworpen. Eerst deed men pogingen om hem te
verdrinken, maar hij wandelde eenvoudig over de golven weg. Toen werd hij
letterlijk over de hekel gehaald en zijn lichaam werd met wolkammen
opengereten. Uiteindelijk werd hij naar de executieplaats buiten de stad geleid
om te worden onthoofd, volgens zeggen in gezelschap van twee kinderen en zeven
vrouwen.
Verering & Cultuur
Nadat in de 8e eeuw een kerk aan hem was gewijd in de Duitse stad Erfurt,
verspreidde zich zijn verering over heel Europa. In de 10e eeuw kwamen relieken
van hem terecht in het Zwarte Woud; sindsdien heette de abdij van Reginbertus
van Seldenbüren († 963; feest 29 december) Sankt Blasien. In het Vlaamse
Rumbeke vindt jaarlijks rondom zijn feestdag de Blasiuskermis plaats. De
Nederlandse plaats Cadier en Keer heeft elk jaar een Blasiusbedevaart.
Men bad vroeger:
`De Heilige Blasius helpt degeen
van colyk, graveel en steen
van keelpijn en meer andere plaghen
die door gebeën zyn bystand vraeghen'.
In het Westen behoort hij
tot de Veertien Noodhelpers.
De wonderbaarlijke
genezing van het jongetje met de doorgeslikte visgraat ligt aan de basis van de
zogeheten Blasiuszegen. Op 3 februari komen de gelovigen in de kerk naar voren;
de priester houdt bij elk twee - al of niet brandende - gekruiste kaarsen voor
de keel en spreekt het volgende gebed uit:
'Door de voorspraak van de
heilige bisschop en martelaar Blasius,
moge God u bevrijden van keelziekten en alle andere kwaad. In de naam van de
Vader, de Zoon en de Heilige Geest' (de priester maakt het zegengebaar).
Volgens de Kath Enyclodie
(Amsterdam/Antwerpen, 1950; deel 5 kol.248) gaat het gebruik van de kaarsen bij
de Blasiuszegen terug op een middeleeuwse devotiepraktijk welke inhield dat men
aan Sint Blasius kaarsen offerde. Dat berust op een legende. In de grot waar Blasius
zich verborgen hield zou hij elke dag bezoek gekregen hebben van een
weldoenster die hem voedsel bracht en een kaars. De heilige bisschop zou aan
die vrouw gevraagd hebben dit gebruik ook voort te zetten na zijn dood. Als men
dan om zijn voorspraak bad om van elke ziekte verschoond te blijven kon men dat
gebed kracht bijzetten door een kaars te offeren. Het Liturgisch Woordenboek
suggereert dat die kaarsen in verband stonden met het feest van de vorige dag,
Maria Lichtmis. Daar werden ze gebruikt bij de lichtprocessie.
Hij is patroon van Paraguay; in België van Sint-Blasius-Boekel (gem. Zwalm); in Duitsland van Braunschweig, Mühlhausen (Thüringen) en Sankt-Blasien (Baden-Württemberg); in Italië: van Napels en in Joego-Slavië: van Dubrovnik.
Hij is beschermheilige
van lijders aan keelziekten; van dokters (op grond van het feit dat hij mensen
en dieren genas); van kaarders (vanwege de krammen waarmee hij gemarteld werd)
en beroepen waarbij kammen of krammen werden gebruikt wol- en lakenproducenten,
wolarbeiders (vanwege de hekel), wolkammers, wolhandelaren, spinnerijeigenaren
en wevers, vervolgens kleermakers en meer in het bijzonder hoeden-,
kousenmakers en schoenmakers; vandaar ook leerlooiers en dus ook runder- en
varkenshoeders en meer in het algemeen boerenknechten; nog altijd vanwege de
krammen is hij ook patroon van metselaars, stukadoors en steenhouwers (dit
laatste vanwege het feit dat volgens de legende zijn hoofd werd afgeslagen met
een ijzeren steenkap, het werktuig dat steenhouwers gebruiken om stenen op maat
te bikken. Zo vinden we dat afgebeeld bij de St-Blaisekapel te Bulas-Pestivien
in Bretagne); daarnaast wordt zijn naam geassocieerd met 'blazen' en is hij
beschermheilige van beroepen en bezigheden die met wind en blazen te maken
hebben: zoals molenaars, zeepzieders en musici die een blaasinstrument
bespelen; tenslotte nog van kinderen (omdat hij een kind wonderbaarlijk genas
en werd gemarteld in het gezelschap van enkele kinderen), van automobilisten en
bakkers.
Zijn voorspraak wordt
ingeroepen tegen angina, blaaspijn, blaasziekten, blaren, blazen, brand,
eczeem, hoesten, hoofdpijn (werd onthoofd), huidontstekingen (die `blazen'
geven), keelinfecties, keelontstekingen, keelpijn, kiespijn, kinkhoest,
kinderziekten, krentenbaard (impetigo), aandoeningen aan de luchtwegen,
maagpijn, opzwellingen, pest, slangenbeten, tandpijn, veeziekten, waterzucht
(omdat hij volgens de legende over het water wandelde) en zweren; patroon van
dieren, huisdieren, lastpaarden, varkens en wilde dieren en van hun ziekten,
tegen storm (blazen van de wind) en tegen gewetensbezwaren.
Afgebeeld
Hij wordt afgebeeld als bisschop (mijter, staf, tabberd) met kruis, met twee
gekruiste kaarsen of een gedraaide waskaars (herinnering aan het liturgisch
gebruik waarmee bescherming wordt afgesmeekt tegen keelziekten); boek; ijzeren
vlaskam of hekel; kaarde voor wol; model van een stad (Ragusa, nu: Dubrovnik;
legende: een priester kreeg van St Blasius in een visioen de waarschuwing dat
de Venetianen de stad wilden innemen); soms met een kind (legende van de
visgraat); kind dat een kaars vasthoudt; met varken; met dieren in het bos;
omgeven door een of meer vogels; met een drink- of jachthoorn.
Weerspreuk(en)
"Als 't op Sint-Blasius regent of waait, zeven weken dat de wintermolen
draait" [213]
"Blasius is een koud manneke,
Apollonia (9 feb) een koud vrouwke" [213]
"Blasius op,
Blasius nere,
Blaast hij nog
Ik blaze were"[131]
"Sankt Blasius, macht den Winter lus."
[Sint Blasius maakt de winter los]
Blasius van Sebaste
'Bericht van boven' KRO Radio 5 zondag 3 februari 2008
Ouderen onder u,
luisteraars, zullen mij nog wel kennen. Of minstens mijn zegen: de
Blasiuszegen. De priester trok na de mis zijn kleurige kazuifel uit, en kwam
terug in witte albe met twee lange kaarsen in de hand. Alle mensen in de kerk
stelden zich op in een rij voor de priester. Hij hield de kaarsen gekruist in
de linkerhand, legde ze zo op je schouders links en rechts van je keel, en bad
een gebedje: “Door de voorspraak van de heilige bisschop en martelaar Blasius moge
God u van elke keelziekte en ander kwaad bevrijden. In de naam van de Vader en
de Zoon en de Heilige Geest. Amen.” Daarbij maakte hij met zijn rechterhand een
zegengebaar. Gaat u eens naar de Sint-Janskathedraal in Den Bosch. Daar vindt u
aan het plafond een prachtige afbeelding van mij: ik ben herkenbaar aan mijn
bisschopsmijter en de twee gekruiste kaarsen in mijn hand. De koster heeft er
zelfs een vergrotende spiegel bijgezet, zodat u mij des te beter kunt zien.
U vraagt zich natuurlijk
af, waarom het gebruik van de Blasiuszegen met mijn persoon verbonden was. U
moet weten dat in mijn tijd het christendom door de Romeinse overheid verboden
was. De staatspolitie heeft er van alles aan gedaan mij op te sporen. Op
aanraden van mijn gelovigen was ik ondergedoken in de bossen. Maar zoals u weet
hielden de Romeinen van circusspelen. Dat was wat anders dan tegenwoordig. In
die tijd betekende het bijvoorbeeld dat ter dood veroordeelde gevangenen voor
het oog van duizenden brullende toeschouwers in een kooi moesten vechten met
wilde dieren totdat ze waren verscheurd. Daar hadden ze telkens nieuwe beesten
voor nodig. Welnu, tijdens zo’n jacht op beesten voor het circus ontdekten ze
bij toeval mijn schuilplaats.
Prompt werd ik
gearresteerd en meegenomen. De rechter probeerde mij met folteringen tot zoals
hij het noemde betere gedachten te brengen. Maar ik besefte hoe Jezus op
dezelfde manier voor zijn rechters en beulen had gestaan. En dat gaf me moed.
Tenslotte werd ik ter dood veroordeeld. Net als bij Jezus gebeurde de
terechtstelling buiten de stad. Onderweg stond er temidden van alle
schreeuwende toeschouwers een moeder langs de route met een klein kind. Ze
drong zich door de soldaten heen, klampte mij vast en vroeg mij om mijn zegen.
Haar kind had een visgraat ingeslikt; die was in zijn keel blijven steken: het
dreigde te stikken. U kunt zich voorstellen: ik had wel wat anders aan mijn
hoofd. Pijn en woede kunnen je zo opsluiten in je eigen gevoelswereld dat er
voor anderen even geen plaats meer is. Maar mij schoot Jezus te binnen. Hoe hij
zelfs bij zijn arrestatie een van zijn aanvallers had genezen toen die aan zijn
oor gewond was geraakt. En dit was een onschuldig kind. Ik legde dus mijn hand
op het hoofdje, heel even maar, want toen werd ik weggerukt door mijn bewakers
die mij voortsleepten.
U weet hoe het afliep. De
visgraat schoot los en het kind was genezen.
Ik weet niet of ze bij u
in de kerk nog de Blasiuszegen geven. Maar zijn er geen dingen die u soms in
het verkeerde keelgat schieten? Of dingen die u niet door de strot kunt
krijgen? Dingen die u bij de keel grijpen en dreigen te verstikken? Of
misschien wel omgekeerd: dat u gulzig of onmatig bent in eten en drinken… Dat u
te gemakkelijk van innemen bent. (Ging het vandaag immers niet over
drankbestrijding?).
Ja zelfs als de
Blasiuszegen niet meer wordt gegeven, kunt u misschien toch dat gebedje nog
bidden: “Door de voorspraak van de heilige bisschop en martelaar Blasius moge
God mij van elke keelziekte en ander kwaad bevrijden. In de naam van de Vader
en de Zoon en de Heilige Geest. Amen.” En vergeet dan niet goede mensen in uw
omgeving om hulp te vragen.
[Dries van den Akker
s.j./2008.02.03]
[000»Albertus-Brescia(voorpag); 000»Aloysius; 000»Hermenegildus; 000»Jozef(Kollnau);
000»jrb; 000»Patricia; 109p:84(vig); 111p:59.60; 113»Blaise; 122123p:64;
126p:18vv.79.87; 127»Blaise; 132; 140; 141; 149/1p:228; 156p:75; 166p:42(†dieren);
167p:131; 179p:16; taf:28.30; 181p:125; 183; 186p:106(2x); 193p:46; 199p:23.24.26;
200/1»02.03; 201p:17(bo.5); 204p:27; 231p:127233p:209; 235; 237; 270:folio:30;
288; 292p:63.65.69.101.124.139!.153(rel.houder).167.169!172; 297p:128; 307p:124.183;
333p:44.45.t/o:80; 293p:29; 300p:176; 305p:140; 500; Dries van den Akker
s.j./2010.07.18]
© A. van den Akker
s.j. / A.W. Gerritsen
SOURCE : https://heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/02/03/02-03-0316-blasius-sebaste.php
Saint Blaise: The
Iconography : https://www.christianiconography.info/blaise.html
La benedizione di San
Biagio : http://www.cantualeantonianum.com/2009/01/la-benedizione-di-san-biagio.html
Perché a Milano a San
Biagio si mangia il panettone? : https://www.famigliacristiana.it/articolo/perche-a-san-biagio-si-mangia-il-panettone.aspx
Il panettone di San Biagio : https://www.regione.lombardia.it/wps/portal/istituzionale/HP/DettaglioRedazionale/scopri-la-lombardia/cultura-e-tradizione/tradizioni/panettone-san-biagio/panettone-san-biagio
