Blessing of Throats on the Feast of St. Blaise
By Bernadette Cabe

Through the intercession of St. Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat, and from every other disease. In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Parishioners were individually blessed and responded "Amen" as Fr. Khanh Hoang, pastor and Deacon Tom Miyashiro placed two candles tied together with a red ribbon forming a cross around the parishioners? throats. It is customary that freshly blessed candles from the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on Feb. 2nd be used on Feb. 3rd , feast day of St. Blaise, patron of throat ailments.

St. Blaise was a physician and a Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia. While in prison for refusing to renounce his faith, he cured a boy who was choking on a fish bone lodged in his throat. St. Blaise was martyred in 316.