# 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

## 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.

## What does modern science say?

The blessing of throats is still widely given on 3 February.

## 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.

## 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

- *The Catholic Encyclopedia* (New York, 1907–1914), “Kings.” newadvent.org/cathen/09527a.htm
- *The Catholic Encyclopedia* (New York, 1907–1914), “Blaise, Saint.” newadvent.org/cathen/02592a.htm

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*St. Blaise candles.* In *Materia Medica*, edited by B. C. P. Statema. Version 1, revised 2026-10-01. The Thinking Press. https://thethinkingpress.org/materia-medica/st-blaise-candles

Historical description, not medical advice.