Blaise was a fourth century bishop in Sebastea, Armenia. He was a healer of some repute, having famously once used prayer to get a fish bone from a choking child's throat. The persecution of Diocletian got him, as they got so many people. In his case, I guess he was raked with steel combs as a torture before he was beheaded.
Blaise's is one of the first feasts (outside the calendar holidays) that I remember. We used to get out throats blessed for it. The ritual seemed absurd and I remember snickering my way through the blessing, prompting Father Carlson to whap me upside the head when he was done praying. He was right to do so, of course, and did me know harm.
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