St Blaise, Bishop and Martyr.

While St. Blaise was on his way to face persecution and certain death, many people met the saint on the road and asked for his blessing. Among the crowds of people, there was a woman whose little boy was literally choking on a fish bone that he had swallowed. The mother was inconsolable and cried out to the saint: O dearest master, help my child, or he will choke to death. The saint knelt down, prayed, blessed the child with the sign of the cross, and it was immediately cured. While two candles touch our neck and throat areas, we hear a Latin phrase calling upon St. Blaise to protect us from diseases of the throat and all other evils. In the case of the blessing of throats, we do not receive one of the Seven Holy Sacraments of the Church, but rather something called a Sacramental. It is not be an automatic physical and instrumental cause of grace, but rather an occasion…an opening for special blessings and graces. A sacramental is anything set apart or blessed by the Church to excite good thoughts in us and to increase piety and devotion. For more please visit reginaprophetarum.org & remember to say 3 Hail Marys for the priest