Saint Blaise´s Church in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Credit: Domingo Leiva. Saint Blaise, also known a
Saint Blaise´s Church in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Credit: Domingo Leiva. Saint Blaise, also known as Saint Blasius, St. Blasius or Saint Blazey, was an Armenian physician and bishop, born in Sebastea, Armenia (currently in Sivas, Turkey). St. Blaise died as a martyr in c. 316 AD by having his flesh torn by iron wool-combs and eventually he was beheaded . Saint Blaise was known as a 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. According to tradition, Blaise was of noble birth and, after being educated in the Christian faith, was made bishop of Sebastia. Although Christianity had been adopted in 301 as the state religion in Armenia, the Roman emperor Licinius began a persecution of the Christians, and Blaise was discovered and apprehended. While imprisoned he miraculously cured a boy from fatally choking. After being torn with wool combers’ irons, Blaise was beheaded. Subsequent legends, notably the apocryphal Acts of St. Blaise, claim that before Blaise was made bishop he was a physician possessed of wonderful healing power. Numerous miracles were also attributed to him, including the cure of diseased beasts during his refuge, thus accounting for his also being the patron saint of wild animals. He was venerated as the patron of sufferers from throat diseases in the East by the 6th century and in the West by the 9th century. Blaise’s cult spread throughout Christendom from the 8th century. In Germany he was counted among the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Many churches, such as that in Dubrovnik, Croatia (a city of which he is the patron saint), are dedicated to Saint Blaise. Furthermore he is the patron saint of builders, veterinarians, infants, Maratea, Italy, Sicily, Dalmatia, Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, Rubiera, stonecutters, carvers and wool workers. Saint Blaise has also been venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Armenian Apostolic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. Sources: - Encyclopædia Britannica - CatholicSaints.Info - Kirsch, Johann Peter. “St. Blaise.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 2. -- source link