San Blas de Antique - The Holy Bishop of Sebaste, Antique

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San Blas de Antique
In the province of Antique, located in the Panay Island, there is a local pilgrimage site that is frequetly visited by devotees and the faithful over the centuries due to its miracles, the Parish of St. Blaise, one of the early bishop-martyrs of our faith famous for his patronage against throat problems and diseases.

In his parish in Sebaste, named after the actual see that he administered in his lifetime, he help is sought after and it can still be seen with the number of devotees visiting him, especially on his feast day.

The image

The image of San Blas de Antique is a wooden de tallado image of St. Blaise which is richly vested with the regalia of a bishop, complete with a richly embroidered cape, a beautifully crafted mitre, crosier, and a palm, which is a diagnostic in the iconography of martyrs. The bearded countenance faces the beholder that commands veneration and awe.


St. Blaise
The Life of St. Blaise

Saint Blaise was the bishop of Sebastea and a doctor. The first known record of the saint's life comes from the medical writings of Aëtius Amidenus, where he is recorded as helping with patients suffering from objects stuck in their throat. Many of the miraculous aspects of St. Blaise's life are written of 400 years after his martyrdom in the "Acts of St. Blaise." Saint Blaise is believed to begin as a healer then, eventually, became a "physician of souls." He then retired to a cave, where he remained in prayer. People often turned to Saint Blaise for healing miracles.

In 316, the governor of Cappadocia and of Lesser Armenia, Agricola, arrested then-bishop Blaise for being a Christian. On their way to the jail, a woman set her only son, who was chocking to death on a fish bone, at his feet. Blaise cured the child, and though Agricola was amazed, he could not get Blaise to renounce his faith. Therefore, Agricola beat Blaise with a stick and tore at his flesh with iron combs before beheading him.

In another tale, Blaise was being led to the prison in Sebastea, and on the way came across a poor old woman whose pig had been stolen by a wolf. Blaise commanded the wolf return the pig, which it did -alive and uninjured - to the amazement of all. When he reached Sebastea, the woman came to him and brought two fine wax candles in an attempt to dispel the gloom of his darkened cell.

In the Middle Ages, Blaise became quite popular and his legend as a beast tamer spread. He was then referred to as the "saint of the wild beast." Saint Blaise is often depicted holding two crossed candles in his hand, or in a cave with wild animals. He is also often shown with steel combs. The similarity of the steel combs and the wool combs made a large contribution to Saint Blaise's leadership as the patron saint of wool combers and the wool trade. His Feast is celebrated every February 3 and the blessing of throats are performed using two candles that were blessed on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord the previous day.

San Blas de Antique
The history of the devotion in Antique

The devotion to San Blas de Antique began with the establishment of the parish dedicated to him on August 25, 1897 with Rev. Fr. Domingo Carrera from the Order of St. Augustine as its first parish priest. The parish got its name from the place where its patron saint St. Blaise came from, who was later made a Bishop of this town in Armenia.

Formerly, Sebaste was called Ipayo, named after the river that flows through it. Ipayo was believed to be a municipality during the Spanish time in 1800. Pestilence and calamities wrought misfortunes upon the community that later, the heavy toll forced Sebaste to be annexed to Pandan. Thereafter, what once the seat of the municipality became“ Arabal of Sebaste”.

The image of St. Blaise was a gift of Doña Matilde, wife of the Duke of Seville, to his son, Father Mariano Vicente Zapata, then the parish priest of Pandan who transferred his residence in Sebaste. He took along with him the image of St. Blaise and installed as patron of Sebaste. He thought that the place was cursed, so the statue of St. Blaise was made the patron saint of Ipayo when his miracles as claimed were manifested not only in preventing calamities but also in healing the sick. The news of his miracles spread throughout Panay, Negros, Mindoro, Mindanao and other places and Sebaste became a pilgrimage site and still is up to this day.

"Palapak" of San Blas de Antique
The devotion at present

The devotion to San Blas de Antique continuous to flourish up to this day and his feast day, February 3, is celebrated with much solemnity with the customary blessing of the throat,but also the "palapak"rites where the devotees would line up behind the image of San Blas and place their heads beneath the statue - a unique tradition in Panay Islands to ask help to their patron saints. Devotees would come to light candles, line up for the “palapak” and join the Masses in the honor of the famous and miraculous Patron Sebaste, San Blas.

St. Blaise is seen as one more example of the power those have who give themselves entirely to Jesus. As Jesus told his apostles at the Last Supper, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). With faith we can follow the lead of the Church in asking for St. Blaise’s protection.

References:

Butler, Alban, "Lives of the Saints", Tan Books, USA, 1999.
Geremia, Jose Glicerio, "The History of the Parish of St. Blaise", Parish of St. Blaise, Sebaste, Antique, 2015.


Photos:

Galera, Kharl
Vidanes, Lawrence

Special thanks to Mr. Kharl Galera and Mr. Lawrence Vidanes for the current photographs of San Blas de Sebaste.
+AM+DG+

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