St. Blaise candles
The blessing of throats
- Known today as
- Two blessed candles, crossed and held at the throat on 3 February, the feast of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr of Sebaste in Armenia.
- Kind
- Sacramental, in 1 older authority
- Earliest authority here
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914)
Revised October 1, 2026: An authority added from a text read in full. Version 1, first published September 28, 2026.
St. Blaise candles: what was it used for?
The priest touches the throat with the crossed candles and prays that, through the intercession of St. Blaise, the person be delivered from every disease of the throat.
St. Blaise candles: what does modern science say?
The blessing of throats is still widely given on 3 February.
St. Blaise candles: what lore surrounds it?
The custom rests on the legend that Blaise, on his way to martyrdom, saved a boy choking on a fish bone.
St. Blaise candles: what did the older authorities say?
- The Catholic Encyclopedia
- The Catholic Encyclopedia counts St. Blaise's Acts “purely legendary,” the saint being by the legend “a physician at Sebaste” who in prison “performed a wonderful cure of a boy who had a fishbone in his throat and who was in danger of choking to death.” On his feast “two candles are consecrated, generally by a prayer, these are then held in a crossed position by a priest over the heads of the faithful or the people are touched on the throat with them,” with the words, “May God at the intercession of St. Blasius preserve you from throat troubles and every other evil.” In other places “oil is consecrated in which the wick of a small candle is dipped and the throats of those present are touched with the wick.”
Sources
- [21] Herbermann, C. G., et al. (eds.) (1907–1912). The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Online at newadvent.org. Articles: Agnus Dei (H. Thurston); Amulet (M. Hassett); Ash Wednesday (H. Thurston); Bells (H. Thurston); Holy Oils (H. Leclercq); Paschal Candle (H. Thurston); Scapular (J. Hilgers). Read in part · the text read
- [120] Weller, P. T. (trans.) (1964). The Roman Ritual, Part XI: Blessings and Other Sacramentals. EWTN Library, ewtn.com. Primary text
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914), “Kings.” newadvent.org/cathen/09527a.htm Standard reference work
- The Catholic Encyclopedia (New York, 1907–1914), “Blaise, Saint.” newadvent.org/cathen/02592a.htm Standard reference work
Verification
- Checked
- October 1, 2026
- Passes
- Every dated or regulatory claim checked by category across the database
- Each quotation from the older authorities checked word for word against the text, read in full
- Sources
- 4 cited: 1 read in part, 1 primary text, 2 standard reference work.
- Corrections
- None were needed.
What was checked, how, and what was found is set out on the Verification page. A checked source is one whose record was found; it does not make the entry medical advice.
Cite This Entry
Version 1 · first published September 28, 2026 · last revised October 1, 2026
- Chicago
“St. Blaise candles.” In Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1. The Thinking Press, 2026–. Last modified October 1, 2026. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-blaise-candles.
- MLA
“St. Blaise candles.” Materia Medica, edited by B. C. P. Statema, version 1, The Thinking Press, 1 Oct. 2026, thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-blaise-candles. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.
- APA
St. Blaise candles. (2026, October 1). In B. C. P. Statema (Ed.), Materia medica (Version 1). The Thinking Press. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-blaise-candles
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See Also
Also in The Catholic Encyclopedia
St. Christopher medal in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Benedict medal in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Hubert’s key in The Catholic Encyclopedia · St. Agatha’s bread in The Catholic Encyclopedia · everything The Catholic Encyclopedia names →
Nearby in the alphabet
St. Ignatius water (Water blessed with a relic or medal of St) · Squill · St. John’s fires (The bonfires lit across Europe on the eve of the Nativity of St) · Spirit of wine (Distilled alcohol)
Historical description, not medical advice.