Agatha, Blaise and Dorothea

Blaise, bishop of Sebastea (feast day February 3), led a reclusive life to escape persecution. After being arrested, he was subjected to multiple types of torture and was eventually sentenced to death by drowning. Even though he walked away across the water to escape this fate, his body was later torn apart with wool combs after which he was decapitated. The young virgin on the right is Dorothea of Caesarea (feast day February 6). She was tortured and sentenced to death by decapitation during the rule of Emperor Diocletian. On the way to her execution, her lawyer Theophilus mockingly asked her to send some flowers from Paradise, upon which she answered “So it shall be”. For this reason she is depicted carrying a basket of flowers. On the left we see Agatha of Catania (feast day February 5), who refused to get married because she was a Christian. She suffered severe torture as a consequence, including the amputation of her breasts. In the miniature she is depicted carrying a pair on tongs with an amputated breast.