Saint Blaise: A Witness to Us All!

On the memorial of St. Blaise, the homily that is read is chosen by the Church.

Yet, the reading, picked specifically to honor St. Blaise, mentions no healing of the throat, or throat blessing. The Gospel’s focus is on Jesus’ command to the Apostles to spread the Gospel. Further, it gives witness to Jesus’ Ascension. How does this relate to healing of the sick, for that is what St. Blaise is known?

St. Blaise is a Martyr

St. Blaise is remembered for healing someone who is afflicted with an aliment of the throat. But his life is not reduced to that one event. St. Blaise is a martyr. Martyr does not mean someone who was killed, though many are indeed killed. The word means “witness”. For Christians, a martyr is one who gives witness to the Gospel, even if it means their life.

St. Blaise was asked to bow to the idols of Rome. He did not, was persecuted and thrown into prison. Hear the story of what St. Blaise did from prison.
Hear more about the Bishop who would become Saint Blaise. Listen to what the early Christians had to deal with during their persecutions. Hear what it meant to witness the Gospel. Hear about the gift St. Blaise now gives us all!