Febuary 11

S. V. Bulgakov, Handbook for Church Servers

Hieromartyr Blaise, Bishop Sebaste

Saint Blaise from his youth distinguished himself with meekness and piety and for his holy life was elected bishop of Sebaste. As bishop, he "with wise learning strengthened his flock in the faith." In the time of cruel persecution of Christians, during the reign of Diocletian, the hierarch admonished his parish to patience, visited and calmed those in prison and instilled in them love for God and faith in Him. When almost all the Christians of the city of Sebaste accepted the crown of martyrdom for their faith in Christ, St. Blaise, for whom, according to the will of God, the time had not yet arrived to accept the crown of martyrdom, - left the city for one deserted mountain, where he lived in a cavern, leading a life of strict solitude and silence. In the solitude that St. Blaise shared only with the desert wild beasts that not only did not harm the saint, but also obeyed him. When a certain poor woman who had a wild hog (pig), which the wolf had stolen, turned to St. Blais! e for help, that, after the prayer of the servant of God, the wolf returned the wild hog unharmed. In the Life of St. Blaise it also is written that he once healed a child who was choking on a bone. During the reign of Licinius, Blaise was found in the desert by soldiers and turned over by them to the ruler in Sebaste. By the goodness of St. Blaise many of his companions were converted to the true faith and performed miraculous healings. When the ruler of Sebaste, Agricola, through admonishments could not make the hierarch deny Christ, he ordered that he be subjected to severe torture and, at last, be beheaded by the sword (about 316). Many others, who were converted to Christ during the suffering of St. Blaise, received the same martyr's crowns also.

Troparion Tone 3

Thou didst blossom as a fruitful tree in the Church,/ by the cultivation of divine grace, O Father Blaise;/ thou didst shine with the grace of the priesthood/ and bear fruit in thy martyr's contest./ Entreat Christ our God to grant us His great mercy.

Kontakion Tone 2

O Godbearing Blaise, thou wast a holy shoot,/ a fadeless flower, a fruitful branch of Christ the Vine./ Fill with thy gladness those who faithfully honor thy memory,/ and intercede unceasingly for us all.

(Translation is complete for St. Blaise but not for the day.) S. V. Bulgakov, Handbook for Church Servers, 2nd ed. 1274 pp. (Kharkov, 1900) pp. 77-8 Translated by Archpriest Eugene D. Tarris (c) 2/4/01

Troparion and Kontakion take from the Menologian for windows uless otherwise attributed. Kotakion was ot in original traslation.

Posted with Permission from the Translator