It is not known exactly when or where St. Blaise lived.  He was, however, a bishop of Sebaste, Armenia in the early part of the fourth century and suffered martyrdom under the Roman emperor Licinius.  Licinius commanded the governor of the province to prevent the spread of Christianity in his territory.

Because of this edict, Blaise fled into the mountains and lived in a cave.
Wild beasts often came into the cave.  Blaise used his skill to heal the animals that were wounded or sick.

The emperor's hunters were out collecting wild animals for royal games when they came upon Blaise in the cave.  So they brought him back to the emperor as a special prize.  On the way, they met a poor woman whose pig had been seized by a wolf.  Blaise commanded the wolf to return the pig and the wolf did so.  The pig was restored to its owner, alive and unhurt.  Also during this journey, Blaise miraculously cured a child who was choking to death on a fishbone.  For this reason, St. Blaise is often invoked by persons suffering from throat trouble.

When he reached the capital, he was put in prison to await execution.  The poor woman whose pig he had saved came to see him.  She brought him two fine wax candles to dispel the gloom of his dark cell.  On his feast day, February 3, it is a tradition to bless the throats of those invoking his intercession for ailments of the throat.  Usually this blessing is done with two candles placed on the throat - - probably in remembrance of the two wax tapers brought to him during his imprisonment.

When he was finally killed, he was tortured with an iron rake and then beheaded.  His symbols are an iron comb (or rake) and a wax taper.