#Saint blaise

[useless-catalanfacts]

February 3rd is Saint Blaise (Sant Blai in Catalan). In the areas of Baix Camp, Alt Camp and Conca de Barberà (Camp de Tarragona broader area, in Catalonia), it's traditional to eat these biscuits called blais or blaiets. Similar recipes exist in other parts of the Catalan Countries, like the coques de Sant Blai in Terres de l'Ebre, various Saint Blaise cookies around the Valencian Country, or the senyorets or blaiets from Menorca.

Blais are butter biscuits aromatized with vanilla or sometimes lemon. The most noticeable characteristic is that they're stamped with an imagine of Saint Blaise.

In the Christian belief, Saint Blaise is the patron saint who cures throat ache, cough and prevents getting a cold. For this reason, the tradition from this area take the blais to be blessed, so that eating them with green apples with protect from these harms.

Photo 1: blais from Valls, photo by Vilaniu Comunicació. / Photo 2: blaiets from Reus, photo from CatalunyaDiari.

[pagan-stitches]

In my folkloric Christian practice the beginning of February is an important time. It marks the half way point of winter and is dotted with Saints’ days. My primary altar remains focused on Morana, but the smaller altar is focused on the saints.

February 1 — Saint Brigid’s Day, important to my Irish and Scottish ancestors and celebrated on the altar with a holy card inherited from my great-aunt Sister Margaret Mary (photo 5), a Brigid’s cross (photo 9), and an embroidery (photo 8) featuring a Brigid cross that I use as a dress when I make a Brigid doll. I have also placed Snake ( @graveyarddirt ) more prominently as this was believed to be the day snakes came out of their holes (photo 4).

February 2 — Hromnice/Candlemas/Presentation of Jesus at the temple. The yellow embroidery in the back of many of the photos was designed specifically for this holiday (adapted from a Slovakian folk pattern). There is also an old hromničky (thunder candle, photo 6) that I will probably melt down for this year’s candle. In Photo 3 you can also see the dried mullein stalk that I will also be using in this year’s candle.

February 3 — Saint Blaise’s Feast Day, as he is the patron saint of cattle among other things, I have placed cow figurines (photo 2) and a cattle horn filled with wheat (photo 6). His feast day was important to my Czech ancestors and featured baking of buns (to be blessed by the church and used in folk magic for healing/preventing throat disease) and caroling by teachers and students.

February 5 — Saint Agatha’s Feast Day, also important to my Czech ancestors, this was a day that bread, salt, and water (photo 10) were blessed by the church and saved for use in folk magic.

February 6 — Saint Dorothy’s Feast Day, in Czechia this was once the occasion of Saint Dorothy plays (postage stamp in photo 7) often featuring the Saint, a king, an executioner, and čert (the folkloric devil).

[twofielder]

Coin of the Day #263 (1/22/2025)

Something a little different today…

Republic of Ragusa

AR Grosso - 18mm 0.59g

1452-1556 AD

Obverse S BLASIVS RAGVSII

Saint Blaise standing front, R left

Reverse IE XP Ω Ω

Christ standing front, holding globus cruciger and raising hand

N #74053

[jeanfrancoisrey]

Travaux à prévoir à la chapelle Saint Blaise de Ménerbes…

[allsaints-daily-specials]

Allsaint’s Cafe Daily Special for February 3: Eggs Blaise

Served as two poached eggs atop a whole fried trout, topped with a creamy mango sauce.

The spirit of Saint Blaise is not here, so please do your best NOT to choke on it. Allsaint’s Cafe waives all responsibility for any lack of choking-related miracles during hours of service.

[walker-diaries]

[catholicsaintquotes33ad]

[zabaloon]

Bênção da Garganta

Para os devotos de São Brás da Igreja católica...

Blessing of the Throat For devotees of Saint Blaise of the Catholic Church

Благословение горла Для преданных святого Власия Католической Церкви

咽喉祝福 献给天主教圣布莱斯的信徒

[cruger2984]

THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT BLAISE The Patron of Throat Diseases Feast Day: February 3

"Father of mercy and God of all consolation, graciously look upon me and impart to me the blessing which flows from this holy Sacrament. Overshadow me with Your loving kindness, and let this divine Mystery bear fruit in me."

The patron of those who suffered from throat diseases, was born to rich and noble parents in Sebastea (modern Sivas, Turkey). Blaise received a good Christian education and became a physician.

Afterwards, he was ordained a priest and made bishop of Sebastea. During the persecution of Emperor Valerius Licinianus Licinius, he withdrew to a cave frequented only by wild beasts, which he healed and blessed. He was discovered by some hunters, who were looking for animals to be sent to the amphitheater, and was taken as prisoner to the governor of Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia, Agricolaus.

On his way to prison, a woman brought him a little boy who was at the point of death because of a fish bone in his throat. At his intercession, the child was cured, and since then, Blaise has been invoked for all kinds of throat diseases.

Soon afterwards, he suffered torture and martyrdom with steadfast faith. He was finally beheaded in 316 AD after being scourged and torn with iron combs.

[vas0ul1tsa]

Apololo my beloved

[aimeeisdead]

aa textposts part 3

[sfaghetti]

always liked how Simeon was such a big Onyankopon fan (considering he was able to get an Onyankopon t-shirt while they're so hard to get) and Excelcius uses the mask of Zurvan, Onyankopon's enemy. it's just such nice subtle foreshadowing and it's done so well

[pagan-stitches]

Because of Saint Blaise’s association with cattle it is thought that there may have been some dual belief with the slavic god Veles (among other things a slavic god of the underworld, earth, vegetation, farmers and cattle) lurking under the guise of the saint.

In the Czech agrarian environment his patronage of animals was significant. Herders turned to Blažej when they drove their cattle to pasture, to protect their herd from wild animals.

In an incantation collected by a priest from a herder in 1784 the herder asks Blažej to:

Lock the mouths of all wolves and she-wolves, lynxes, snakes, scorpions, hornets, sorcerers, and witches with three keys from the Virgin Mary,

So that they do not smell, hear, tear the skin, tear the hair, eat the flesh of the cattle, spill their blood, break their bones, or even see gods herd.

The livestock were often protected by a goad upon which the saint’s name was tucked.

Saint Blaise’s feast day is February 3rd.

Source

Caroling on Saint Blaise’s feast day in the Czech lands.

[polls4funds]

Feel free to explain why they're your favorite too!

While you're here, donate to this campaign!

[jeanfrancoisrey]

Sérénité retrouvée à la chapelle Saint-Blaise de Ménerbes…

[lindleland]