The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1905-02-04
THE THROAT HEALER.
ST, Blasius of Sebastes, Whose Feast
is Observed on Feb. 8.

Ulom the. Canadian Messenger of the
Sacred Hearty
ID may interest some of our readers
a. know the origin of the wide devotion
u catholics to St. Blasius, as the healer
Ct all throat disease.
The saint WAS himself physician, in
U nom, however, says his biography.
the fear of God surpassed his love for
The knowledge and practice of his pro
Il ssi5n. His holy life won for him such
respect that while not yet in the prime
ol life he was chosen as bishop of Sc.
hastes. Shortly after his conservation
he retired into wilderness, where. ac-
cording to the most ancient chronicles.
he performed wonderful works, and
where he lived among the wild beasts
without ever experiencing from them
either hurt or harm.
AT this time Agricola, the Roman
governor Of CappadOcia, having come to
Sebastes. began a cruel persecution of
the Christians. BlasiuS was soon found
out in his Wild retreat. dragged to the
city and cast into prison. 1t was while
thus captive that the people f1ocked
TO see the holy martyr and to be cured
10y him. Among the patients brought to
the prison cell was a young boy who
had been given over by the best physi-
clans Of the city.
The child while eating fish had swal-
lowed a bone which had stuck so firm
ly in his throat that everything done
to extract it had proven of no avail.
What with pain and fasting the poor
boy was already dying.
Blasius knelt and prayed to Our Lord
for the suffering child and for all in
like trouble, and then touched the boys
throat with his fingers. Instantly the
j me weak, but without pain. The
fame Of this evident miracle Spread far
and wide throughout the country, and
the thousands who flocked to the prison
experienced in themselves like wonder
ful results when afflicted by disease Of
the throat.
This devotion at once took hold of
The people. and we find it mentioned
even in surgical works such as the En-
vyclopaedia Medica" of the Greek ply
stefan Aetius, who recommends among
other well known cures for throat com
plants the intercession of St. Blasius of
Scbastes.
OF late years it has become quite pop !
uar among Catholics to invoke the aid |
+ st. Blasius in all throat diseases, |
and on his feast day, the Sd of Febru- |
airy. great crowds come to the churches |
for the blessing of the Threats.
The church has so far deigned to look |
upon this devition with favor as to as |
sign to it a special prayer in her ritual. |
Her ministers are directed to bless the |
candles to be used during the cere-
mouy and i'm words that recall the suf-
trrings and glorious death of St. Bla
aius our Holy Mother calls on the au-
thar of all good to shower down his
blessings on these waxen candles so
that all those on whose Threats they
may have been placed shall experience
hc effect of this prayer.
Then. while these blessed candles in
De form Of a. cross are held under each
PERSONS chin the priest is directed to
Say the foil wing prayer:
By the intercession of St. Blasius.
bishop and martyr. may God free you
from sore throat and from every other
.Nl bon he name of the Father, and of
%. : Do, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen