Few informations are known about San Biagio’s life, but he’s traditionally remembered as bishop for the community of Sebaste in Armenia at the time of the constantinian pax. His martrydom took place around the 316, and it’s linked to the clashes between west (Constantinian) and Orient (Licino). When he was captured by the romans he was beated and skinned alive with iron combs, and then beheaded for refusing to reject the christian faith. His cult is spreaded both in the catholic church and in the orthodox one, so he’s recognized in both the west and the orient. During the 8th century some Armenian believers brought his remains to Maratea (Potenza), city of which he is patron and where a church was erected in his name. Saint Biagio was remembered for some miracles that took place in his city of birth, such as the healing of a boy that had a fishbone Stuck into his trachea: he was in fact summoned for “throat aches”, and therefore he’s one of the helper saints, to which one faces to in case of particular hurting. Saint Biagio is worshipped in many italian cities and celebrated the 3th of february.

The tales of the statue in Dome’s building site:

The Saint Biagio that is placed today on the G13 spire was realized in the 1962 by Aldo Andreani, even if we do not know the author of the original model. San Biagio too is part of that bountiful group of statues placed on the front facing spires following the destructions caused by the bombings of the ’43. On the base of the statue it’s present an inscription that confirms the identity of the saint.