Iacobus de Voragine: LEGENDA AUREA

Blasius cum omni mansuetudine et sanctitate polleret, Christiani eum in Sebaste, civitate Cappadociae, in episcopum elegerunt. Qui, episcopatu suscepto, ob Diocletiani persecutionem speluncam petiit et ibi eremiticam vitam duxit. Cui aves pabulum afferebant ac fere ad eum unanimiter confluebant et, dum usque imponeret manum iis benedicens, non recedebant ab eo. Denique si quae infirmabantur, ad eum continuo veniebant et sanitatem ad integrum reportabant.

As Blasius was endowed with all mansuetude and sanctity, the Christians in Sebaste, a city of Cappadocia, chose him as bishop. He, having undertaken the episcopate, on account of Diocletian’s persecution sought a cave and there led an eremitic life. Birds brought him food and almost unanimously flocked to him; and while he would continually lay his hand upon them, blessing them, they did not depart from him. Finally, if any of them fell ill, they came to him at once and carried back health in full.

Praeses igitur illius regionis dum milites suos ad venandum misisset et illi in vanum alibi laborantes ad antrum sancti Blasii casu pervenissent, magnam ibidem bestiarum multitudinem ante ipsum stantium repererunt; quas dum nullatenus capere possent, attoniti suo domino nuntiarunt; qui statim milites plures misit et, ut ipsum cum omnibus Christianis ad se adducerent, praecepit. In ipsa autem nocte ter Christus ei apparuit dicens: "Surge et offer mihi sacrificium." Ecce autem advenerunt milites dicentes: "Egredere! vocat te praeses."

Therefore the governor of that region, when he had sent his soldiers to hunt and they, laboring elsewhere in vain, had by chance come to the cave of Saint Blaise, found there a great multitude of beasts standing before him; and when they were by no means able to capture them, astonished, they reported to their lord; who at once sent more soldiers and ordered that they should lead him, with all the Christians, to himself. But in that very night Christ appeared to him three times, saying: "Arise and offer me a sacrifice." And behold the soldiers arrived, saying: "Come out! the governor calls you."

Quibus respondit sanctus Blasius: "Bene venistis, filii, nunc video, quod Deus non est oblitus mei." Pergens vero cum iis numquam a praedicatione cessavit et coram iis mirabilia multa fecit.

To whom Saint Blasius replied: "You have come well, sons; now I see that God has not forgotten me." Proceeding indeed with them, he never ceased from preaching, and in their presence he did many marvels.

Tunc mulier quaedam filium suum morientem, in cuius gutture os piscis transversum erat, ad pedes eius attulit et, ut sanaretur, eum lacrimis postulabat. Sanctus vero Blasius super eum manus imponens oravit, ut puer ille et omnes, qui in eius nomine aliquid peterent, sanitatis beneficium obtinerent, et statim sanatus est.

Then a certain woman brought her dying son— in whose gullet a fish-bone was set transversely— to his feet and with tears was petitioning that he be healed. But Saint Blaise, placing his hands upon him, prayed that that boy and all who should ask anything in his name might obtain the benefit of health, and immediately he was healed.

Mulier quaedam paupercula unum solum porcum habens, quem tamen violenter lupus rapuerat, sanctum Blasium deprecabatur, ut sibi reddi faceret suum porcum. Qui subridens dixit: "Mulier, noli contristari, reddetur tibi porcus tuus." Continuo lupus venit et porcum viduae reddidit.

A certain very poor woman, having only a single pig, which however a wolf had violently snatched away, was beseeching Saint Blasius to cause her pig to be returned to her. He, smiling, said: "Woman, do not be saddened; your pig will be returned to you." Immediately the wolf came and returned the pig to the widow.

Ingrediens Blasius civitatem, iussu principis, carceri mancipatur. Alia vero die iussit praeses ipsum sibi praesentari. Quem videns blandis sermonibus salutavit dicens: "Gaude, Blasi amice deorum." Cui Blasius: "Gaude et tu, optime praeses, sed ne dicas eos deos, sed daemones, quia aeterno igni cum his, qui eos honorant, traduntur." Iratus praeses eum fustibus caedi iussit et in carcerem retrudi fecit.

Entering the city, Blasius, by order of the prince, is consigned to prison. On another day the governor ordered that he himself be presented to him. Seeing him, he greeted him with blandishing words, saying: "Rejoice, Blasius, friend of the gods." To whom Blasius: "Rejoice you as well, most excellent governor, but do not call them gods, but demons, because to the eternal fire they are delivered with those who honor them." Angered, the governor ordered him to be beaten with cudgels and had him thrust back into prison.

Cui Blasius dixit: "Insensate, speras per poenas tuas Dei mei a me auferre amorem, qui ipsum in me habeo corroboratorem!"

To whom Blasius said: "Insensate one, do you hope through your punishments to take away from me the love of my God, since I have him himself as a corroborator within me!"

Audiens haec vidua illa, cui porcum reddiderat, porcum ipsum occidit et caput cum pedibus, candela et pane ad sanctum Blasium deportavit. Ille gratias agens comedit sibique dixit: "Singulis annis candelam in ecclesia nominis mei offeras, et tibi et quicumque hoc fecerit, bene erit." Quod semper egit et sibi prosperitas multa fuit.

Hearing this, that widow to whom he had returned the pig killed that very pig and carried to Saint Blasius the head with the feet, a candle, and bread. He, giving thanks, ate and said to her: "Each year you should offer a candle in the church of my name, and it will be well for you and for whoever does this." Which she always did, and there was much prosperity for her.

Post hoc cum eductum praeses a carcere ad deos inclinare non posset, iussit eum in ligno suspendi et carnes eius cum ferreis pectinibus laniari et sic iterum in carcerem reportari.

After this, when the governor, with him led out from prison, could not incline him toward the gods, he ordered him to be suspended on a wooden beam and his flesh to be lacerated with iron combs, and thus to be carried back again into prison.

Septem ergo mulieres sequentes guttas sanguinis colligebant, quae mox tenentur et ad deorum sacrificium compelluntur. Quae dixerunt: "Si vis, ut deos tuos adoremus cum reverentia, mitte eos ad stagnum, ut, faciebus ablutis, mundius adorare possimus." Laetus praeses efficitur et citius, quod dixerat, adimpletur. Illae vero deos arripuerunt et eos in stagni medium proiecerunt dicentes: "Si dei sunt, videbimus." Quod praeses audiens et prae ira insaniens et se ipsum percutiens dixit ministris: "Cur non tenuistis deos nostros, ut non mitterentur in profundum laci?" Cui dixerunt: "Dolose tecum locutae sunt mulieres et eos in stagnum proiecerunt."

Therefore seven women, following, were collecting the drops of blood, who are soon seized and are compelled to the sacrifice of the gods. They said: "If you wish that we adore your gods with reverence, send them to the pond, so that, with our faces washed, we may be able to adore more cleanly." The prefect becomes glad, and more quickly that which they had said is fulfilled. But they seized the gods and threw them into the middle of the pond, saying: "If they are gods, we will see." Hearing this, the prefect, raging with anger and striking himself, said to the ministers: "Why did you not hold our gods, so that they might not be sent into the depth of the lake?" To whom they said: "The women spoke craftily with you and threw them into the pond."

Cui mulieres: "Deus verus dolos non pantur, sed et si dii fuissent, praescivissent utique, quid iis facere volebamus."

To whom the women said: "The true God does not endure deceits; but even if they had been gods, they would certainly have foreknown what we wanted to do to them."

Et iratus praeses iussit plumbum liquefactum et pectines ferreos et VII loricas igne candentes ex una parte parari et ex alia VII camisias afferri lineas. Quo dicente, ut ex his, quod mallent, eligerent, una illarum duos parvulos habens audacter cucurrit et lineas camisias accipiens in caminum proiecit.

And, enraged, the governor ordered liquefied lead and iron combs and 7 cuirasses glowing white-hot with fire to be prepared on one side, and on the other for 7 linen chemises to be brought. While he was saying this—that from these they should choose what they preferred—one of them, having two little children, ran boldly and, taking up the linen chemises, threw them into the furnace.

Pueri vero matri dixerunt: "Non nos, mater dulcissima, post te relinquas, sed sicut nos replesti dulcedine lactis, sic nos reple dulcedine regni caelestis." Tunc praeses iussit eas suspendi et carnes earum pectinibus ferreis laniari. Quarum carnes ut nix albissimae erant et pro sanguine lac fluebat. Cum autem supplicia invitae ferrent, angelus Domini ad eas venit et eas viriliter confortavit dicens: "Nolite timere, bonus enim operarius, qui bene incepit et bene perficit et a conducente se benedictionem meretur pro completo opere et mercedem accipit pro labore et gaudium possidet pro mercede."

The boys indeed said to their mother: "Do not, sweetest mother, leave us behind after you, but as you filled us with the sweetness of milk, so fill us with the sweetness of the heavenly kingdom." Then the governor ordered that they be suspended and that their flesh be torn with iron combs. Their flesh was whitest like snow, and instead of blood milk flowed. But as they, unwilling, were bearing the torments, an angel of the Lord came to them and manfully comforted them, saying: "Do not be afraid, for the good workman, who begins well and brings to completion well, both merits a blessing from the one who hires for the completed work, and receives a wage for the labor, and possesses joy as the wage."

Tunc praeses iussit eas deponi et in caminum mitti. Quae divinitus exstincto igne exierunt illaesae. Quibus praeses: "Iam nunc magicam artem dimittite et deos nostros adorate." Quae responderunt: "Perfice, quod coepisti, quia iam ad regnum caeleste vocatae sumus." Tunc ille data sententia eas decollari mandavit.

Then the governor ordered them to be taken down and cast into the furnace. They, the fire divinely extinguished, came out unharmed. To whom the governor: "Now at once dismiss the magic art and adore our gods." They replied: "Perfect what you have begun, for already we have been called to the heavenly kingdom." Then he, sentence having been given, ordered them to be beheaded.

Quae, dum decollari deberent, flexibus genubus adoraverunt dicentes: "Deus, qui nos a tenebris separasti et in lucem dulcissimam adduxisti, qui nos sacrificiurn tuum fecisti, animas nostras suscipe et ad vitam aeternam facias nos pervenire." Et sic truncatis capitibus ad Dominum migraverunt.

Who, when they ought to be beheaded, on bended knees adored, saying: "God, who separated us from darkness and led us into most sweet light, who made us your sacrifice, receive our souls and cause that we may attain to eternal life." And thus, with their heads severed, they migrated to the Lord.

Post hoc iussit praeses Blasium sibi praesentari et dixit ei: "Vel nunc adoras deos vel non?" Cui Blasius: "Impie, non timeo minas tuas. Age, ut vis. Corpus enim meum penitus tibi trado." Tunc iussit mitti in stagnum.

Post this the governor ordered Blasius to be presented to him and said to him: "Even now do you worship the gods or not?" To whom Blasius: "Impious one, I do not fear your threats. Go on, as you will. For I wholly hand over my body to you." Then he ordered him to be sent into the pond.

Ipse vero aquam signavit et mox sicut terra arida fixa permansit; dixitque: "Si veri sunt dei vestri, ostendite virtutem eorum et ingredimini huc." Ingressique LXV viri stagnum continuo sunt submersi. Angelus autem Domini descendens dixit ei: "Egredere, Blasi, et coronam tibi a Deo paratam suscipe." Cumque exiisset, dixit ad eum praeses: "Omnino decrevisti non adorare deos?" Cui Blasius: "Cognosce, miser, quia Christi servus sum nec daemones adoro." Et statim iussit eum decollari. Ipse autem oravit ad Dominum, ut, quicumque per infirmitatem gutturis vel alia quacumque infirmitate eius patrocinia postularet, exaudiretur et continuo liberaretur.

He himself indeed signed the water, and at once it remained fixed like arid earth; and he said: “If your gods are true, show their virtue and enter here.” And 65 men, having entered the pool, were immediately submerged. But an Angel of the Lord, descending, said to him: “Come forth, Blasius, and receive the crown prepared for you by God.” And when he had gone out, the governor said to him: “Have you altogether decreed not to adore the gods?” To whom Blasius: “Know, wretch, that I am a servant of Christ and I do not adore demons.” And immediately he ordered him to be beheaded. But he himself prayed to the Lord, that whoever, by infirmity of the throat or by any other infirmity whatsoever, should ask his patronage, might be heard and immediately be freed.

Et ecce vox de caelis ad eum venit, quod si fieret, ut oravit. Sicque cum duobus puerulis decollatus est circa annos Domini CCLXXXIII.

And behold, a voice from the heavens came to him, that it would come to pass as he had prayed. And thus he was beheaded with two little boys around the year of the Lord 283.