POLL: St. Blaise Day Blessing

I am sure this is some sort of joke on the saint’s part, but whenever I get my blessing on St. Blaise Day within days I get a sore throat.

Still, it is a lovely custom which we should foster.

So… here is today’s WDTPRS POLL!

POLL CLOSED

Did you or will you have your St. Blaise Day throat blessing?

  • Yes (68%, 629 Votes)
  • No (32%, 292 Votes)

Total Voters: 921

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60 Comments

  1. rob says:

    I did and not only that, our Priest prayed fervently over each person and audibly, and enunciated each word. God Bless him!

    Through the prayers of St. Blase,
    may God free you from ailments of the throat
    and from every other evil.
    In the name of the Father,
    and of the + Son,
    and of the Holy Spirit.

  2. Mark says:

    Sadly, no, for the first time since I became Catholic two years ago. Travelling and time simply did not allow me to be in time for a blessing…

  3. Brian Walden says:

    On Sunday the priests offered throat blessings after Mass. Their intention was obviously to offer to the blessing to as many people as possible, but I was under the impression that they were supposed to be done with the candles blessed on Candlemas. I guess even if the candles weren’t blessed yet, the priests still have the ability to bless throats or whatever else they want. But then they had the EMHC’s giving blessings similar to communion where you might get a priest at the front of one line or you might get an EMHC. EMHC’s have no ability to bless anything. Isn’t getting your throat blessed by an EMHC akin to someone saying “God bless you” after you sneeze? I found the whole situation confusing and left without a blessing. Should I ask the parish for an explanation?

  4. Pomeroy on the Palouse says:

    Well, I would have, but our priest is at the parish in the next town over (about 40 miles away) this week. We alternate… 1 priest in three parishes.

    John

  5. Trad Tom says:

    At my parish, I was laughed at when I asked about it. “We haven’t done that for years! No one does that any more!! hahahaha Which is, sadly, why I had to vote “no.”

  6. Thomasso says:

    Had to answer ‘no’as not available at my Parish – neither was Mass on Candlemas day – our priest doesn’t say Mass on his day off (Monday), even when he’s in the Parish. Sad. He’s a good priest.

  7. The pastor and auxiliary offered blessings on Sunday here as well, and it seemed the whole parish approached them for the blessing. I decided to wait until today, as I knew I would be at Mass anyway. I figured that would mean I would get a sore throat or something beofore today, just to teach me a lesson about passing up a blessing, but fortunately that wasn’t the case.

    It is a good tradition, I think, that should be preserved.

  8. Denis Crnkovic says:

    Father,

    You wrote, “I am sure this is some sort of joke on the saint’s part, but whenever I get my blessing on St. Blaise Day within days I get a sore throat.

    Still, it is a lovely custom which we should foster.”

    Which custom, Father? The former or the latter? If the latter – the predictable sore throat – no thank you.

    Joking aside, I haven’t been able to find anyone blessing throats today. Last year we did so at our TLM, but this year, unfortunately, the EF is not scheduled.

  9. Diane says:

    Fr. Perrone at Assumption Grotto does it every year……in Latin!

  10. Steve Girone says:

    Yes, twice. Once on Sunday at our weekly TLM in Delaware, and once again today at a daily NO Mass.
    Why twice you might ask? I never pass up an opportunity to receive a blessing!

  11. TomB says:

    Ha! Me too, Fr. The very first time I had the throat blessin, in 1974, as a brand-new convert, I got a raging sore throat within a day or two. I didn’t attribute it to the blessing, but have often wondered!

  12. Ed says:

    A little more St. Blaise information and photos from a traditional Latin Mass community:

    http://stpeters-troy.tripod.com/id124.html

  13. Joe says:

    Yes. It took some scrambling to find candles (I’m not the boss of anything) and I placed them on the Altar for Mass (not sure if they had been blessed in the past). Several people thanked me afterwards but said they had never heard of this before.

    Father, you know that if you DIDN’T get the throat blessing your throat would shrivel up and fall off!

  14. Jeff Pinyan says:

    How is the blessing written in the Book of Blessings? I’m curious because I’m almost 100% sure my pastor said “illness” instead of “evil”, and I heard him do this 20+ times. Not that I doubt the blessing was efficacious, just curious if he mis-remembered the prayer or the Book of Blessings mis-translated it.

  15. Jon says:

    At the FSSP apostolate in Harrisburg, Father blessed throats this morning after Mass, and will be doing so again this coming Sunday for folks who couldn’t make it today.

    As an aside, this evening, at 7pm, at the PA Museum of Science, our apostolate, the Mater Dei Latin Mass Community of Harrisburg, is sponsoring a talk by Dr. Thomas Woods, entitled “Benedict XVI and Summorum Pontificum; The Road Ahead.”

    If you’re in the area, we’d love to have you.

  16. Melanie says:

    Sadly no. No priest on base….

  17. Geoffrey says:

    From 1989 the Book of Blessings: “Through the intercession of Saint Blase, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from ever other illness: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. R/. Amen.”

  18. Flambeaux says:

    Sadly, no. Our pastor has made clear he thinks it a tacky superstition. No celebration of Candlemas yesterday, either, despite his constant complaint that the Faithful don’t keep the liturgical calendar anymore.

    Well who’s fault is that?

  19. Ohio Annie says:

    Jeff, The Book of Blessings says “illness.”

    Brian, From the Book of Blessings (the blessing of the lay minister is different than the priest’s blessing):

    1626 The blessing of throats may be given by a priest, deacon, or a lay minister who follows the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister. If the blessing is conferred during Mass, the blessing follows the homily and general intercessions, or, for pastoral reasons, the prayer of blessing may take the place of the final blessing of the Mass. When the blessing is given outside Mass, it is preceded by a brief celebration of the word of God. If the blessing is to be celebrated at Morning Prayer or Evening Prayer, it is given after the reading and responsory (and homily) and before the gospel canticle.

  20. A Random Friar says:

    Did it, as well as Candlemas.

  21. Rob in Maine says:

    The blessing of working at a Catholic Hospital _and_ having a desk job. i _GET_ to go to Mass every day.

  22. Katherine Therese says:

    The first (and only) time I got the blessing, a week later I had the worst case of tonsillitis I’ve ever had, which is saying a lot! Apparently St Blaise thought I needed a little extra mortification ;)

  23. Brian Walden says:

    Thanks Ohio Annie, so when it comes to blessing throats what are the rites and prayers designated for a lay minister as opposed to a priest or deacon?

  24. ALL: In my opinion (and that of others whom I greatly respect) the so-called Book of Blessings ought to be entirely ash-canned. 

    Use the Rituale Romanum.

    Get blessed by a priest, whose invocative blessings are of an entirely different order.

  25. Geoffrey says:

    It is probably more than safe to say that just like Mass in the Ordinary Form, the Book of Blessings is here to stay. Shouldn’t it be reformed? I would think His Holiness would be on top of that, just as he was for the new Rite of Exorcism a number of years ago…

  26. Calleva says:

    I haven’t been this year, but I want to talk about an experience I had back in 1986. I was a nursing mother and had suffered from continual sore and strep throat, having to keep going back for more antibiotics. A doctor had prescribed me something to dry up my dripping sinuses which caused me discomfort on waking – but as a nursing mother I quickly found out I couldn’t take it. I went to Mass at Candlemass not realising it had a blessing of throats. The church was not my regular parish – the community were unfriendly and the liturgy chugged along… then there was an invitation for people to come forward for the blessing of throats.

    I found myself in line, people were being tapped on both sides of the neck by two candles – I prayed “Lord, I believe you can cure me if you wish, please help me as I can’t use a lot of medication.” I thought of the woman in the Bible who said she believed Jesus could heal if he so wished, and was granted her request.

    I thought no more about this but about a week later I realised that I was quite well and had been since.. well, since that Mass. It was odd, because I’d been renewing my anti-biotics for weeks… I firmly believe that I was healed at that Mass but being so preoccupied with running a home with small children, it had taken me a couple of days to realise.

  27. Bill says:

    Candlemas yesterday, St. Blaise and blessing of throats today, at St. Michael the Archangel in Garland, Texas.

  28. puella says:

    From my Bishop after Mass at Early O’Clock today :)

  29. Kathy says:

    The blessing is not available at our parish.

  30. Future Priest says:

    I still remember my first experience of the blessing of the throats. I was a little boy suffering from a sore throat. I was at my mom’s side when coming up for the blessing, although I was too young to know what the blessing was about.

    When the priest placed the candles around my neck and said the prayer, I reacted with shock when he made mention of the “diseases of the throat”. When I walked away, I tugged at my mom’s dress and said “How did he know I had a sore throat?!”. I had thought that the priest had somehow read my mind by placing those candles around me and finding out I had a sore throat..ha,ha,ha.

    Ever since then, I have looked forward to the blessing of the throats every year.

    Now that I am deacon (and only a few months away from priesthood ordination), I am giving the blessing of the throats for the first time today!!

    Holy Martyr Blase, pray for us.

  31. Ken says:

    How the laity can help a priest who does not have the Roman Ritual: print this up on a little card for him to hold with the candles:

    “Per intercessionem Sancti Blásii liberet te Deus a malo gutteris et a quovis alio malo.”

    Although some books use a longer version:

    “Per intercessiónem sancti Blásii, Epíscopi et Mártyris, líberet te Deus a malo gútturis, et a quólibet álio malo. In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus sancti. Amen.”

  32. Kimberlee says:

    Yes, we had our throats blessed, after a NO Mass. It was interesting to see the 96 year old priest giving the blessings in English next to the twenty-something year old priest giving them in Latin. :-)

  33. Lindsay says:

    Around here, the priests bless throats the Sunday before St. Blaise’s feast day. We all had it done. We usually do, but last year I didn’t (I forget why), and I got the flu for the first time ever and then a double ear infection (which, my doctor said came from the infection in my throat from the flu).

    I told my husband on Sunday that I definitely wanted it done because last year I didn’t and got so sick. He says it is superstitious, but I don’t see how it could be non-superstitious to think the blessing helps and superstitious to think that not getting it made a difference.

    Come to think of it, the last time I got really sick (like go to the doctor sick) before that was the year before I became Catholic and started getting my throat blessed annually–and it was a throat thing, too.

    Anyway, I am definitely a proponent.

    But, of course, I wouldn’t blame St. Blaise if I did get sick I really am not superstitious, but I do think that St. Blaise is a powerful saint with an emphasis on throat health. I’m sure I had sore throats during the years I’ve had my throat blessed, but nothing like the throat illnesses in the years I didn’t.

  34. Peggy says:

    I did receive a blessing today. I didn’t take the children out of (public) school for it, though I had thought about it. I am glad I did not. It was a mass with the parish school children, always fodder for liturgical abuse.

    A “mission team” from the Pressious Blood male and female orders, with lay participants, are at our parish for a “mission.” The parish is sappy-clappy, so I haven’t gone out of my way to participate in any events yet. I was leery of the events. Now, even more so.

    Oh, Fr., a female–not even the nun on the team–provided a homily after the gospel. I wanted to get up and shout for her to sit down. Our pastor allowed this! [I complained to him about a teachers’ skit in one mass a year or so ago. He was offended. I don’t think I followed your suggestions. I don’t think any one else in the parish knows better!] The woman even found it quaint that blessings of throats would occur. She hadn’t experienced that in a long time. I just wanted to cry. I was blessed by one of the priests (pastor and mission priest). I just want to cry that such a thing happened in my parish–I’m in a one-parish town. I prayed before the Blessed Sacrament afterward in reparation.

    Thanks for letting me post this.

  35. Frank H says:

    Hoping to get it done this evening. At our parish a year or so ago(whenever it was on a Sunday, I think) the priest just held up candles and gave a general blessing to the congregation.

  36. Lirioroja says:

    At the parish I sing at they blessed throats after Sunday Mass. I got my throat
    blessed then even though I had every intention of getting a blessing today too.
    I knew getting a blessing today was a long shot since my lunch break is never at
    the same time every day. Well, the timing didn’t work out for me today so I’m glad
    I got the blessing on Sunday.

  37. TerryC says:

    No blessing for me. My parish priest did the blessing in lieu of the final blessing at Mass on Sunday vigil/Sunday. Since EMCs were doing the majority of blessings I skipped it.

  38. sekman says:

    I had my throat blessed today after mass. I had a question however can a lay person validly give the throat blessing? We had two priests and 3 lay people give the blessing I was outraged as I was almost positive that they cannot give the blessing.

  39. Emilio III says:

    At our trendier-than-thou “Catholic Community”, the priest did the blessings before Mass. It took considerably longer than the 3-EMHC communion, but nobody seemed to mind. We may be doing this half-brick by half-brick, but it’s still progress…

  40. Chris says:

    I did – and Fr. used candles that were blessed last night as part of the Candlemas Mass (I am still new to the TLM so I am not sure if those are the correct words). I asked Pastor about the Blessing of Throats before Mass last night and so we went and found the appropriate candles and had the Msgr. bless them before he celebrated the Mass.

    On a side note, the Pastor at my Parish has Msgr celebrate the TLM once a month (on any Marian feast day) and it has truly been wonderful.

  41. frjimt says:

    i assist at several parishes……..nepa/nj…..
    this morning we celebrated holy mass and blessed throats of a number of people……
    a parish where i am supply in nj celebrated holy mass this am, a service of the word/blessing this afternoon & a special mass tonite…….

    don’t do the sunday before/after routine……..
    unless they want me to do the same with ashes!

  42. I voted yes… and for the first time in my life, I got a sore throat within an hour of the blessing! Yeah… that’s some sense of humor, St Blaise!

  43. rosebudsal says:

    No, only because I am not going to Mass today, but the pastor at my parish was going to offer blessings.

  44. TomB says:

    I was thinking that maybe those of us who get sore throats afterwards were blessed using paraffin candles…could that be it?
    http://www.beeswaxco.com/beeswaxVsParaffin.htm

  45. Fenton says:

    Our pastor “doesn’t do things like this”…he’s pretty much 9-5 and in his jeans by the end of the day. Oh, he’s denied the sacrament of penance to my daughter during Christmastide, denied it to friends of ours during the published hours because he “had to move some files”, didn’t bring the Blessed Sacrament to a mother recovering from major surgery, doesn’t “do feet” on Holy Thursday, placed his “throne” in the center of the church while Christ is off to the side, doesn’t do May Crownings, Benedictions, or Divine Mercy Sunday…

    needless to say, we didn’t have our throats blessed…that’s the least of our “needs”…

    sad.

  46. Scarlett says:

    I got my throat blessed after Mass on Sunday. The priest who had said Mass and one of the other parish priests blessed throats at the front of the church. I had forgotten it was almost St. Blaise’s Day, but I was thrilled to realize it – I have mild but chronic throat problems (get a real sore throat at least once a month, with mini sore throats (more dryness than soreness) constantly in between. I’d wanted one last year, when my throat troubles were much worse, but the church I was going to at the time didn’t offer them; St. Blaise’s Day passed unnoticed. My constantly scratchy throat hasn’t shown much improvement over the past 2 days, but I’m always thankful for St. Blaise’s intercession; he’s one of my go-to saints, mostly because I’m thinking about my throat so often.

  47. Will says:

    The priest gave a general blessing after the intercessions, and then gave individual blessings after Mass to those who requested them.
    At my mother’s parish, however, they did not get the blessing because today was the first Tuesday and they always do the Anointing of the Sick. They said they would do the blessing of throats tomorrow. Which makes no sense to me at all.

  48. Fr. Kowalski says:

    Here in the Holy City of Mt. Airy I blessed throats after the 11AM Mass this morning and will be available for 30 minutes or so tonight in the church for those who wish to come after work. Unlike a number of priests I know, I did NOT bless throats after [or during] the Masses last Sunday. Seems to me, if I read my calendar correctly that TODAY [Tues., Feb. 3rd] is St. Blaise day. But that’s just me being “rigid” I guess. Lol.

  49. Jane says:

    I have written a book entitled: Help from heaven (Answers to prayer). One of the stories in it is about my friend.

    She is from America and was living in a Australia for a few years. It was in that time that we became good friends. The story is called: A bad case of laryngitis (Saint Blaise).

    I was like a miracle. I personally witnessed this event. It did not take place on St Blaise’s feast day. I have had the St Blaise blessing a couple of times on his feast day and it did me some good.

    If you would like to read the book with the story of my friend and St Blaise, you are in luck because it is on-line free. I have been collecting the stories for years and also wrote some articles for the book and put some of my poems in it also.

    The stories came from my own experiences, from family, friends and relatives. They are original stories of answers to prayer. I would love to add more stories to the book. Please let me know if you have a story of an answer to prayer (which is original. Something that happened to you or to someone you know), which you think would be suitable. The book is an apostolate to spur on people’s faith.

    To read it please go to:

    http://missionbell.homestead.com/HelpFromHeavenBook.html

    I promise that you won’t be disappointed. There are several saints and Blessed covered and devotions such as the Infant Jesus of Prague, Rosary, Divine Mercy, Our Lord and Our Lady under several titles. Even favours granted by the Holy Souls in Purgatory for their benefactors. If you like the book, please let others know about it.

  50. JaneC says:

    Unfortunately, my class schedule does not allow me to attend Mass on Tuesdays. My husband will be going to Mass this evening, though, and there will be throat-blessing.

    We did have candles for our home altar blessed yesterday.

  51. michael r. says:

    Yes, immediately after the homily today.

  52. ED says:

    Prior to Vatican 2 The Blessings of Throats drew huge crowds to the local parish making it seem like a major feast.

  53. Kradcliffe says:

    no, I didn’t go to Mass, today. I was stuck at home with: a little boy with bad tonsillitis! But, I was reminded to pray to St. Blaise for my little guy. Anybody else who could say just a quick little prayer for my wee boy, I’d be grateful.

  54. JF says:

    Went to mass today and the daggone EMHCs were doing the majority of throat blessings–so no, I didn’t get my throat blessed.

  55. Joanne says:

    Just did, after the Latin Low Mass I attended. :0)

  56. cuaguy says:

    No :( I was “banned” from Mass this morning. Sister told me that if she saw me, she would walk me out of the shrine since I almost fell asleep in the sacristy yesterday after serving Mass, since the 7 and 7:30 are the only masses that I can make due to my schedule.

  57. Séminariste says:

    At my Quebec seminary, the celebrant (“president of the assembly”, as they always call him) introduced Holy Mass by recalling that today was the Feast of St Blaise and that in many parts of the world, it was very important that people had their throats blessed. He then proceeded to celebrate the Ordinary Time Mass. No blessing for me this year, now that I’m in the seminary.

  58. Jeannette says:

    Our parish used to bless throats on Sunday AND on the feast day of St. Blase. I also remember having our throats blessed on the feast day as a student in parochial school. Since our pastor retired about 5 years ago, the blessing of the throats was not given on Sundays, only on the feast day. So I haven’t gotten the blessing for the last 5 years. I was fortunate to make it to noon mass today and received the blessing!

  59. Joan says:

    Yes, I did get a blessing…and now my throat hurts, lol. Go figure.

  60. Thomas says:

    I very sadly did not as I had a meeting that conflicted with the only opportunity I had available. I am rather more upset that the Catholic school I sent my daughter to did not bless the throats of students, dispite the fact that it has a chaplin attached to it. So much for the $5300 per annum I spend to ensure she is immersed in Catholic faith and culture…

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