Monday, February 3rd is the feast of St . Blasé. There will be a blessing of the throats after the 8:00 Mass. (The children in both day and evening school will receive a blessing on Monday during their classes.)
Here is a little bit of information on St. Blasé:
St. Blaise was a bishop and a doctor for people and animals. To avoid being caught, he lived in a cave outside of the city. Legend has it that sick animals would come to him to be cured. But if St. Blaise was praying, the animals would patiently wait so as not to disturb his prayers.
In the year 316, some hunters stumbled upon St. Blaise praying on his knees with bears, lions, and wolves around him. This surprised the hunters but did not keep them from arresting him for being a Christian. On his way to prison, a woman brought her son who was choking on a fish bone to him. St. Blaise said a prayer, and the boy stopped choking.
According to another legend, a poor woman complained to St. Blaise that her pig had been stolen by a wolf. The saint ordered the wolf to return the pig alive and uninjured. The wolf obeyed. After he was in prison, this poor woman brought him two wax candles to light his dark cell.
Often this saint is pictured holding two candles, or in a cave with wild animals.