Chris Kenny

St Blaise

Construction with found twig

£365.00 (framed)

14cm x 19cm

February 3rd

Blaise was a doctor and bishop before going to live in a cave on Mount Argeus.

Although attempting to live the solitary eremitic life, he continued as a general practitioner for the many sick people and animals that sought his healing powers. All would queue quietly while he finished his prayers.

Agricola, the Roman governor of Cappadocia, was passing by hunting for beasts that could eat Christians in the Circus Maximus. He noticed a queue of wolves, tigers, bears and lions waiting outside Blaise's cave and enquired within.

Blaise was arrested and ordered to apostasize. He refused and was slung in prison. From his cell he continued to cure the sick: a distressed piglet, a little girl choking on a fish bone. This gave rise to the blessing of throats on St Blaise's Day.

The vindictive jailers threw him in a lake but he walked upon the water. He asked the pagans to have faith in the gods they espoused and join him on the water - they all drowned. An angel brought Blaise safely back to the shore but there were more persecutors grabbed him, scratched him with sharp wool combs and beheaded him.

A golden reliquary containing Blaise's throat is kept in Dubrovnik Cathedral.

Previous 34 of 62 Next