INTRODUCTION
One of the oldest baroque church of Saint Blaise is located in Comiso (Via Carrara, 21) and locally it is known as "San Milasi's church" (dialect version of the name Blaise).
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
According to the local scholar Vincenzo Lena1, Saint Blaise of Sebastea was already worshipped in Comiso in the IV century and became Patron of the local community in the VII century A.D2. This cult is considered as one of the most ancient in Sicily.
In the third century, in "Casale di Comicio" there was a Greek-Byzantine colony which, in the area between Via San Francesco and Via San Biagio, built a small church with three naves and surmounted by a dome. In the fourth century, this church was enlarged and dedicated to San Biagio, but in 1693, a terrible earthquake destroyed the dome and the two side naves3. The central nave, even if damaged, was statically reinforced and restored: today it constitutes the current church of Saint Blaise4.
The church stands on an imposing staircase, and a lot of paintings regarding the Saint's life, can be admired on the inside.
Front view of the Church
THE STATUES
Stone statue, work of a local master, dating back to 1763 - Exterior side elevation5
Saint's processional statue, seated on the bishop's chair and built in the Seventeenth (Interior niche above the altar)
THE PAINTINGS
Painting representing Saint Blaise while saving a child who is choking with a herringbone. (Pietro Novelli's work)
According to the legend, while Blaise was coming down to Sebaste, a woman brought him the little son who was suffocating for a bone stuck in his throat: his blessing was miraculous. From that episode the patronage on the throat was born. But the Saint has also become the protector against other diseases because, as legend has it, on the point of death he begged the Lord to grant health to whoever invoked him for an illness; and a voice from heaven replied that he had been heard.
For this reason, on the day of his feast, the priest touches the throat of the faithful with the imposition of two crossed candles that have been blessed on the eve of Candlemas.
Painting representing the sanctification of Blaise. (Pietro Novelli's work)
- Photos and main text by Silvia Casertano ti.supmacla|onatresac.aivlis#| and Alessandra Cassibba ti.upmacla|abbissac.ardnassela#| (December 2018)
- Locate the item on this [ Google Map]
Bibliography
- Biagio Fiaccavento, San Biagio - Patrono di Comiso [S. l.] : s.c., s.i.l. 2010
- Anonimo Comiso Viva [S. I.] : Pro loco di Comiso, 1976