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Church of St Blaise in Anguillara Sabazia: the patron saint's statue that moves around town
The Church of San Biagio stands in the historic centre of Anguillara Sabazia, on Lake Bracciano. It houses the wooden statue of the patron saint, carved in the 16th century. Before the Collegiate Church of Santa Maria Assunta (St Mary of the Assumption) became the main church, this was the town's cathedral.
The miracle of the throat and the two processions
The church is dedicated to St Blaise, bishop of Sebastea in Armenia. His martyrdom dates back to 316 AD, during the conflict between the Western emperor Constantine and the Eastern emperor Licinius. The saint healed a child who had a fishbone stuck in his throat — hence the ritual of the "blessing of the throat" with two crossed candles. On February 3 every year, the statue leaves the church and goes through the streets of the town in procession. The procession ends at the Collegiate Church, where Holy Mass is celebrated with the anointing of the throat for participants. The statue returns to the streets on September 8 too, for the Nativity procession, when it meets the statue of the Madonna.
A single nave and acoustics that attract musicians
The interior is simple: a single nave, masonry columns clad in marbleised plaster — originally white, in classical style. What is surprising is the acoustics: sound fills every corner of the nave, which is why the church is often used as a concert venue. Just a few steps away is the home of painter Pedro Cano, who has used the rooftops of the village and the church itself as recurring subjects for his art.
