Saint Blaise of Sebaste Bishop and Martyr

A solemn and historically grounded portrayal of Saint Blaise of Sebaste, the 4th‑century Armenian bishop and martyr whose cult spread widely across East and West. According to Italian Wikipedia, Blaise was born in Sebaste in the 3rd century and served as bishop of the local Christian community before being arrested during the persecutions of the early 300s. Britannica notes that he was executed around 316 AD, becoming one of the most beloved saints of the medieval world and a member of the Fourteen Holy Helpers. Tradition preserved in both Eastern and Western Churches recounts that Blaise was not only a bishop but also a physician, known for healing both people and animals. One famous miracle describes him saving a child choking on a fishbone — the origin of his patronage over throat diseases. Santogiorno adds that he was venerated as a gentle shepherd who, during persecution, withdrew to a cave where wild animals gathered around him, and he tended their wounds until he was discovered and martyred. He is typically depicted with crossed candles, a bishop’s staff, a wool comb (the instrument of his torture), or a child seeking healing. His feast is celebrated on 3 February. Ideal for sacred art prints, devotional designs, educational materials, and Christian iconography.