- Hieromartyr Blaise, bishop of Sebaste (316)
- He was born in the province of Armenia, and was a physician by
profession. Such was his reputation for holiness that his
fellow-citizens elected him Bishop of Sebaste in eastern Anatolia.
Though there were few Christians in that pagan city, the bishop labored
tirelessly for his flock, encouraging them to stand firm during the
fierce persecutions then raging, and visiting the martyrs in prison.
-
When the city was stripped of Christians, all of whom had fled or been
killed, the bishop, already an old man, withdrew to a cave on Mount
Argea and devoted himself entirely to prayer. As they often do,the wild
beasts sensed his sanctity, and gathered around the cave, waiting
quietly for him to give his blessing or heal their injuries and
ailments.
-
The persecutors, who had not stopped hunting for the bishop, eventually
found his cave, and were amazed to find it like a second Eden, with
lions, tigers, bears and wolves grazing peacefully around it. The Saint
greeted them cheerfully and told them that he knew from a vision that
they were coming for him.
-
As Blaise was taken back to Sebaste, the peace and gentleness that
seemed to radiate from the Saint were enough in themselves to turn many
pagan bystanders to faith in Christ. Diseases of men and animals were
cured as he walked by. One mother brought him her child, who was choking
on a fishbone. The Saint put his hand down the child's throat, took
out the fishbone, and prayed to the Lord to restore him to full health.
(For this reason he is invoked in the West for the cure of throat
ailments).
-
At his trial, the holy bishop fearlessly confessed Christ and scorned
the idols, for which he was savagely beaten with rods and thrown into a
dungeon. Seven women and two of their children were imprisoned with him.
The women were slain first after many tortures. The Synaxarion
continues, "Having failed in his efforts to break Saint Blaise's
resolve, Agricolaus [the governor] condemned him to be drowned in the
lake. The holy Martyr made the sign of the Cross at the water's edge
and began walking across the surface of the lake as the Saviour had done
on the Sea of Galilee. On reaching the middle, he invited the pagans to
join him, if they believed they could trust themselves to their gods.
Sixty-eight of them took up the challenge and drowned, while a bright
angel appeared and invited the Saint to return to the shore in order to
receive the crown of glory." Then Blaise and the two young children were
beheaded together.
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Saint Blaise is one of the most-venerated holy healers in both the East
and the West. He is called upon for protection from wild beasts, and
for the healing of every kind of ailment. His head is kept at the
Monastery of Konstamonitou on Mount Athos.
source: http://www.abbamoses.com
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