Image of Saint Blaise, gilded, upholstered and polychromed wood, 18th century.

Saint Blaise (Portuguese: São Brás), one of the most venerated saints in all of Christendom, died in 316 A.D., amidst the intense efforts to prosecute Christians led by Emperor Diocletian. The Healer Saint, legends attribute to him myriad miracles, amongst which the miracle of the saving the life of a child who had a fishbone stuck in the throat stands out, as is portrayed in the image.
Because, according to legends, he was the Bishop of Sebastia, he is arrayed with a rain cloak, mitre and crosier. Amongst his attributes, we find the wool comb, with which he was tortured, also being, for that reason, the patron saint of wool combers and other crafts related to wool.