St. Blaise (February 3)

From "Saints Preserve Us" (Kelly & Rogers, 1993):

Patron of sick cattle and wool combers; invoked against throat disease
and attacks from wild animals.  Blaise was both a physician and bishop
in Armenia at the turn of the fouth century.  Fleeing persecution, he
lived in a cave in the woods, to which many wild beasts would repair
for sanctuary and medical assistance.  He was reported to the
authorities
by irate hunters.  On his way to prison, he encountered a woman whose
pig had just been carried off by a wolf.  Blaise reasoned with the
savage beast [the wolf], who contritely returned the porker, and in
gratitude the woman brought candles to Our Saint in jail.  Among his
other miracles was the removal of a fish bone from the throat of a
choking child.  Blaise was tortured with the steel combs used in
carding wool before being beheaded.  To this day, on his feast (which
occurs at the height of the flu season) crossed candles are applied,
in Catholic churches, to throats of the faithful.  And water blessed
on that day works wonders with ailing livestock.