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Join Autom as we celebrate the Feast Day of St. Blaise today.

Saint Blaise 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 became a physician of souls. The Bishop of Sebaste, in Armenia, died, and Saint Blaise, much to the gratification of the inhabitants of that city, was appointed to succeed him. He then escaped the persecution of Diocletian by retiring to the hills and living as a hermit.

In the wilderness, wild animals would come to him for healing and gather around his cave. Blaise would walk among them unafraid. Saint Blaise 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 were confirmed by many miracles. From all parts people came flocking to Blaise 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, seized Saint Blaise and hurried him off to prison. While on his way there, a distraught mother, whose only child was dying of a throat disease, threw herself at his feet 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 Blaise was first scourged; his body was then torn with hooks, and finally he was beheaded in the year 316.