Prayers - Saint Blaise

SAINT BLAISE,
PHYSICIAN, BISHOP AND MARTYR

Dear Saint Blaise, please protect my throat from injury, illness or other harm,
and my tongue from harming my soul
by speaking falsehoods or evil of any kind
about any person or any matter.

Please keep me reminded of you when I speak, and please send me reminders to guard
my words, and to use my voice wisely,
to speak out in opposition to injustices,
to defend the defenseless,
to guide the uncertain and confused,
to counsel the worried, and to solace
the bereaved.

May I raise my voice always, my Good Lord, praising Your goodness, and praying earnestly for Your graces, Your generous forgiveness, Your guidance, and Your boundless mercy.

Let me recall with gratitude the touch
of blessed, crossed candles on my throat,
in celebration of your Feast Day, February 3, and in doing so rededicate myself to you,
and to my vow to speak only good
of all people, to speak no evil nor encourage or pass on gossip or critical rumors,
remaining silent rather than harming others with my speech.

All this, Saint Blaise, I ask of you
with confidence that you will keep me safe, protect my voice and guide my utterances,
and speak to the ear of God on my behalf.

Amen

Church of Saint Blaise, Dubrovnik, Croatia

Biographical Note: Saint Blaise is said to have been
a physician, and Bishop of Sevastea, Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey). He is traditionally believed to intercede in cases of throat illnesses. At Mass on his Feast Day, crossed candles are held by the priest to the throat of each attendee, as a blessing is given.

The first historical reference to Blaise is in manuscripts of the medical writings of Aëtius Amidenus, a court physician at the end of the 5th or the beginning
of the 6th century. Blaise was reputedly martyred in AD 316, having been beaten and wounded with iron wool-carding combs, and then beheaded.

Marco Polo reported that Blaise was martyred in Sevastea, where a shrine to him [no longer extant] was mentioned by William of Rubruck in 1253. The modern icon image above is, of course, purely speculative as to Blaise's actual physical appearance.

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