Roman Martyrology

The reading

February 3

At Sebaste, in Armenia, in the time of the governor Agricolaus, the passion of St. Blasius, bishop and martyr, who after working many miracles, was scourged a long time, and suspended on a tree where he was lacerated with iron combs. He was then imprisoned in a dark dungeon, thrown into a lake from which he came out safe, and finally, by order of the same judge, he and two boys were beheaded. Before him, seven women who were gathering the drops of his blood during his torture, were recognized as Christians, and after undergoing severe torments, were put to death by the sword. — In Africa, St. Celerinus, deacon, who was kept nineteen days in prison loaded with fetters, and confessed Christ gloriously in the midst of afflictions. By overcoming the enemy with invincible constancy, he showed to others the road to victory. — Also, the holy martyrs, Laurentinus, and Ignatius, his uncles, and Celerina, his grandmother, who had been previously crowned with martyrdom. They are highly praised in an epistle of St. Cyprian. — In the same country, the holy martyrs Felix, Symphronius, Hippolytus and their companions. — In the town of Gap, the holy bishops Tigides and Remedius. — At Lyons, the Saints Lupicinus and Felix, also bishops. — The same day, St. Anscharius, bishop of Bremen, who converted the Swedes and the Danes to the faith of Christ.

Source: The Roman Martyrology, Baltimore, 1916, John Murphy Company; local raw text lines 1545-1580.