In addition to the Blessing of Throats, it is a long-standing Catholic tradition to bless fruits, bread, wine, and water on February 3. The faithful are invited to bring these food elements to be blessed for consecration following the Blessing of Throats after the Noon Mass on Monday, February 3 at St. Elizabeth Church.
Fruits represent the bounty of life and health.
Bread symbolizes the Body of Christ, sustenance for the soul.
Wine recalls the Blood of Christ, a symbol of spiritual healing.
Water signifies purification and the washing away of ailments.
The blessing of St. Blaise reminds us that in the Catholic tradition, the sacred and the mundane are deeply intertwined, where ordinary elements like food and drink become vehicles of divine grace.