The 3rd of February is the feast day of St. Blaise.
A special thank you to Fr. Sebi, Mr Donnelly and Ms. Kiernan who blessed the throats of staff and students in our school oratory . St. Blaise was a physician and bishop of Sebastea in historical Armenia who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He healed a child who was choking on a fishbone and as a result he later became the patron Saint of sore throats.
The blessing is a sign of the people’s faith in God’s protection and love for the sick.
Using two crossed and unlighted candles, the priest (or other minister) touches the throat of each person, saying:
‘Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from all ailments of the throat and from every other evil:
in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.’