The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-03
TO BLESS
HUNDREDS.
Many Catholics Kneel Before
the Altar To-Day.
1T is AN ANCIENT CUSTOM y
intended to Ward Off Diseases so oon-
mon at This Season Of the Year.
Celebration of tho Feast
Of ST. Blase.
1T is AN ANCIENT CUSTOM

Many hundreds Of Catholics Of Rioh-
nond Will visit tho churches to-day ana,
kneelfnE before tho altar, will have their
throats blessed as a preventative against
the disease 50 common At this season
OF the year, when the damp. chill air
breeds colds and other troubles moro So
rious.
It u a curious old custom, which sur
wives the passage Of many years. TO
certain extent It Is local in its signlh-
canoe, In that churches may observe It
or not as they please. some Of those
here will not do SO and others will, In
the latter special services Will be held
morning and afternoon.
WILL BE OBSERVED HERN,
The occasion for the blessing OF throats
is the celebration OF the feast Of st.
Blase bishop and martyr Of the Church.
who hourished about the year Of our Lord
81e. The relics OF st. Blase. according
to Catholic tradition. were found. CEN
turtles ago, highly encacious in healing
diseases. particularly sore throats. Hence
the custom OF blessing throats upon the
day set apart on the church calendar
fof him,
In Richmond this year at least two or
three OF the churches will observe the
day. There will be no special service
o.. blessing OF throats at st. Peters
Cathedral, but at Sacred Hoart the oc-
casion Will be made an interesting one
At the mass In the morning and at n
special service to be held at o'clock In
tho afternoon the old custom Will be car
rled out and the threats OF those who
present themselves at the altar will be
blessed Adults and children will all
- w.. - ~ - A.
performed. Two lighted candles. crossed.
will be held under the throat. while the
officiating priest pronounces the bles-
sing.
Other churches will also probably OBJ
serve the feast, The occasion is usually
made much Of BY the German Catholics
OF the city.
INTERDsT1N CHARACTER.
st. Blase. from whom the custom Of
blessing threats descends, is one Of the
most interesting characters in church his
tory. A Catholic dictionary says OF him:
He was bishop OF Sebaste, In Armenia,
and was crowned with narytrdom In the
prosecutions OF Licirius in BIO by the
command Of Agr!coleus, Governor OF
Cappadocia and the lesser Armenia. It Is
mentioned in the acts OF st. Eustratius,
who received the crown Of marytrdom in
the reign Of Dioclesian. and is honored on
the 18th Of December. that st. Base. the
Bishop OF Sebaste, honorably received his
relics, deposited them with those OF st,
Orestes. and practically executed every
article Of the last will and testament OF
ct. Eustratius. Ills festival Is kept az
holiday In the Greek Church on the 18th
of February. He Is mentioned in tho an
Client Western matyrologies, which bear
the name Of st. Jerom. Ado and Usard.
WITH several more ancient manuscript
70 atyrologtes, quoted by Chatelain. place
bis name on the 18th: in the holy wars
his relics were dispersed over the West.
and his veneration was propagated by
many miraculous cures. especially OF some
sore throats. He Is the principal patron
OF the Commonwealth OF Raglsa. 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. Per-
ha ps also. his country might In part
determine them to this choice, for 1t
seems that the nrst branch or at len st
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, give occasion to their
choice"
F#EEHz"1 ~shNrrr NV