Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who hath made heaven and earth.
V. The Lord be with you.
R. And with thy spirit
Let us pray
O Almighty and most loving God, Who by Thy Word only hast created all the various beings of the universe, and hast willed that, for man’s restoration, the same Word, through Whom everything was made, should become incarnate; O God, Who art great and present everywhere, terrible and worthy of all praise, and dost wonders; for Whose holy religion the illustrious martyr and bishop Blase has dared many a torture and gloriously obtained a martyr’s crown; O God, Who hast conferred upon him, among other favors, the special privilege of curing, through Thy power, every kind of throat disease, we humbly beg of Thy Majesty that, disregarding our sinfulness and being appeased by his merits and prayers, Thou vouchsafest to bless ✠ this wax and sanctify ✠ it in Thy kindness worthy of all praise, by pouring Thy grace hereinto; so that all those devoted servants whose necks it has touched, may, through the merits of his sufferings, be freed from every throat affliction, and in a sound body and with a heart full of joy, give thanks to Thee in Thy holy Church, and praise Thy glorious name, which is blessed for all ages. Through Our Lord, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth, etc. R. Amen
The priest sprinkles the candles with holy water; and then he places two of these candles in the shape of a cross, under the chin of every one of the people who are kneeling before the altar rail, and says at the same time:
By the intercession of St. Blase, Bishop and Martyr, may God preserve thee from all throat-trouble, and from all other evil. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, ✠ and of the Holy Ghost. R. Amen.
