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Feast of St. Blaise – Throat blessing

February 3 @ 9:00 am

Throats will be blessed at 9am Mass on February 3, the Feast of St Blaise

The Blessing of Throats: Origin and Meaning
What is the Blessing of Throats?

The Blessing of Throats is a traditional Catholic sacramental celebrated each year on or around February 3, the feast day of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr. During the blessing, a priest or deacon holds two blessed candles crossed at the throat of each person and prays for protection from illnesses of the throat and from all other evils.

The prayer commonly used asks that, through the intercession of St. Blaise, God may preserve us from sickness and grant health of body and soul.

Where does it come from?

The blessing is rooted in the life and miracles of St. Blaise, a 4th-century bishop of Sebaste (in present-day Armenia).

According to tradition:

St. Blaise was known as a holy bishop and a healer.

While he was imprisoned for his Christian faith, a mother brought her young son to him who was choking on a fish bone.

St. Blaise prayed over the child, and the boy was miraculously healed.

Because of this miracle, St. Blaise became known as the patron saint of those suffering from throat illnesses, and devotion to him spread quickly throughout the Church. By the Middle Ages, the blessing of throats became a widely practiced sacramental, especially during times of illness and epidemics.

The use of candles recalls both:

  • Christ as the Light of the World
  • The candles traditionally blessed on the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas), which is celebrated on February 2, just before St. Blaise’s feast day.

What is the meaning of the blessing?

The Blessing of Throats is not a guarantee of physical healing, nor is it a superstition. It is a sacramental, meaning it:

  • Draws us closer to God through prayer
  • Disposes our hearts to receive God’s grace
  • Reminds us to entrust our health and our lives to the Lord

At a deeper level, the blessing invites us to reflect on how we use our voices and words:

  • To speak truth
  • To pray
  • To bless, not wound
  • To proclaim Christ with charity and courage
  • Through the intercession of St. Blaise, we ask God to protect not only our physical throats, but also our spiritual voice, so that everything we say may give glory to Him.

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