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Today is the feast of St. Blaise.  He was a physician who became a bishop and was martyred in the persecution of the governor of Cappadocia and Lesser Armenia, Agricola, under the Emperor Licinius in ARSH 316.  St. Blaise was, before being beheaded, essentially skinned alive by being scraped with iron combs.  It is edifying to me that the Church has assigned saintly patronages with an undeniable sense of humor, reminding us to laugh at death.  St. Blaise, because he was skinned alive with iron combs, became the patron saint of wool producers – because wool fleece, when processed, is combed with metal combs.

But my favorite St. Blaise story is of the old woman who came to him because a wolf had absconded with her pig.  St. Blaise, being good with animals to say the least, promptly found the wolf and commanded it to return the old woman’s pig.  The wolf promptly complied, returning the pig whole and unscathed.  Because it is a low-down dirty thing to steal pork.  Hands (and paws) off the sweet, sweet swine.  When St. Blaise was imprisoned and awaiting his execution, the same old woman brought him candles for his cell.

Also, don’t forget to get your annual St. Blaise throat blessing today after Mass. A mother brought her young son who had a fish bone lodged in his throat to St. Blaise while he was in prison, and St. Blaise took two blessed candles that the old woman with the stolen pig had brought him (and remember that yesterday was Candlemas), crossed the candles over the lad’s throat and prayed. The lad promptly yakked up the lodged bone. Don’t laugh. Having a pin bone lodged deep in your snorkel in the early 300’s with no technology to remove it was a terrifying and potentially lethal ordeal.

St. Blaise, pray for us, and by your intercession may we always be protected and delivered from those who would steal our pork, both real and proverbial.

Predella Panel from Stories from Life of St. Blaise: The Wolf Returning the Pig to the Poor Widow, Sano di Pietro, 15th Century

“Presentation of the Infant Jesus in the Temple”, Giotto, ARSH 1320, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston

Happy Feast of the Presentation, aka “Candlemas”! It is called “Candlemas” because of the words of Simeon (shown above holding the squirmy Baby Jesus Who, like any baby, has planted His little hand right on Simeon’s mouth.)  Simeon prophesied of Our Blessed Lord in Luke 2: 32 that He was, “A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.” Hence the great association with light and candles today. Also remember that the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple is the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, the fruit of which is Obedience and Love of the Law.

Touchingly, as I look at this masterpiece by Giotto, I think perhaps the Baby Jesus is shown reaching longingly towards His mother, who is likewise reaching to Him, with His hand on Simeon’s mouth because it was Simeon who prophesied that The Blessed Virgin would have her very soul pierced.  He knew what had to happen, and what had to happen to her.  Perhaps Giotto has depicted here Our Lord’s assurance to His mother of His consolation – that He would always proactively reach to her in love and help her through her sorrows and sufferings being prophesied to her in that moment  – as He does to all of us.

Shown on the far left is St. Joseph, holding the sacrifical dove – because the Holy Family was too poor to afford the normal lamb.  On the far right is the elderly prophetess Anna.

I’m sure Antipope Bergoglio and all of the satanic faggots in the Antichurch would find this whole scene revolting as these pharisaical lovers of the law cling to antiquated forms and practices in a self-absorbed display of faux-piety, idolatry and divination.  Because remember, according to those filthy wretches, the only way to be truly pious is to be impious.  The only way to truly love the law is to disregard it.  The only genuine devotional practice is the opposition to tradition. In other words, total satanic inversion.

Let’s end with a quote about Candlemas from a devout Catholic, Jacobus de Voragine, from The Golden Legend, circa ARSH 1275.

…if we will appear in this feast tofore the face of God, pure and clean and acceptable, we ought to have in us three things which be signified by the candle burning: that is good deeds, true faith, with good works. And like as the candle without burning is dead, right so faith is dead without works as Saint James saith, for to believe in God without obeying his commandments profiteth nothing. And therefore saith Saint Gregory: The good work ought to show withoutforth that thy intention abide good withinforth the heart, without seeking within any vain glory to be allowed and praised. And by the fire is understood charity, of which God saith: I am come to put fire in the earth, and whom I will, I will burn.