St. Blaise, a 4th-century physician and bishop, dedicated his life to healing and spirituality. Imprisoned for his Christian beliefs during Roman persecution, he ministered to fellow inmates and performed miracles, including saving a child from choking on a fishbone. Legend has it that in prison, he healed animals and invoked God's blessings on those with throat ailments. St. Blaise's feast day features the "Blessing of the Throats." Rooted in the saint's acts of mercy, this ritual involves the priest using crossed candles to bless the throats of the faithful. The candles, often shaped in a cross, symbolize the blessing and protection St. Blaise imparts. They represent the healing power of faith, commemorating the miraculous event of St. Blaise saving a child with a fishbone lodged in their throat.
