One of the most important cultural and religious traditions in Naples is linked to San Gennaro, the city's patron saint.

The link between Naples and San Gennaro is very deep and represents a religious devotion whose importance is renewed every year, particularly on the date of September 19. On that day, in fact, every year the miraculous melting of the blood kept for centuries in Naples Cathedral is performed before the faithful.

The mystery of the miracle of St. Gennaro in Naples is physically enclosed in two ampullae placed inside a round shrine, equipped with a handle that facilitates its movement. The relics containing the blood of the patron saint of the city of Naples have the power to change consistency, going from a solid state to a liquid state and vice versa.

The dates of the miracle of San Gennaro

The miracle of the melting of St. Gennaro's blood usually occurs three times a year: on September 16, the date on which St. Gennaro, in 1631, interceded to end the eruption of Vesuvius; on the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, when the translation of the saint's body from Pozzuoli to Naples takes place; and finally on September 19, the day of his martyrdom and a true city holiday. On this date, in fact, hundreds of the faithful flock to Naples Cathedral in an emotional collective wait for the miracle.

The miracle is not officially recognized by the Church but it remains, for the Neapolitan people, a prodigy of the utmost importance and on its realization depends whether the year will be good or bad, of good fortune or misfortune for the city.

Gennaro, a "family saint" 

The relationship that Neapolitans have with San Gennaro is close, confidential and forthright. In fact, the patron saint is considered by Neapolitans almost like a family person, with whom to talk or from whom to ask for graces and favors.

While waiting for the miraculous event at the Cathedral of Naples, if the saint is late in getting the blood to melt, the "Parenti di San Gennaro" begin to shout in annoyance, calling him out and calling him "yellow face," because of the golden statue displayed in the church that gives the image its iconic color.

Who was really Saint Januarius?

The original name of the patron saint was probably Ianuario, and he would be a descendant of Gens Ianuaria, a noble family sacred to Janus, the god with two faces. He was made a martyr on September 19, 305 A.D. C., at the height of the Christian persecutions ordered by Emperor Diocletian. According to the Bolognese Acts, while in prison visiting two imprisoned brothers, he was also arrested along with Festus and Desiderius by order of Judge Dragontius. Gennaro was forced to confess his faith and was sentenced to death. He was beheaded near the Solfatara in Pozzuoli. Initially the intended punishment was to be eaten alive by the animals of the Flavian Amphitheater, but the sentence was changed to beheading after, according to tradition, the saint managed to calm the beasts that were supposed to devour him.

The blood that flowed from the beheading was collected by Eusebia, who had been his nurse. Thereafter, tradition has it that twelve elderly women continued to feed the legend of the saint, claiming to be related to Eusebia and giving rise to a tradition that has transcended the centuries and reached the present day. In fact, even today there are still the so-called "Relatives of San Gennaro," who are major players in the religious celebrations on September 19.

The saint was probably buried in Agnano but, later, his remains were moved to the Capodimonte catacombs, where it is possible to see a fresco depicting the martyred saint between two lit candles and with a halo on his head. It was during the translation of the saint's body in 431 AD that the first miraculous dissolution of the blood occurred, according to tradition. In 1497 the relics and ampullae were transferred to the crypt under the chancel of the cathedral, where they are still kept today.

The bond between a saint and his city

Since then, the deep affection that binds Neapolitans to their patron saint has never waned. Saint Gennaro continues to serve as the city's patron and protector, and he is invoked by the Neapolitan people especially when the city faces imminent tragedies. Just think of 1944, when he was invoked to stop the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Indeed, the lava that was about to destroy the towns in the Vesuvian area "miraculously" slowed down.

The Treasure of San Gennaro

The Treasure of St. Gennaro, kept in a chapel dedicated to him, is managed by a delegation established in 1527 and composed of members of twelve families representing the ancient district of Naples. The Treasury was composed through donations from a number of families after an invocation to the patron saint. It is a huge patrimony, formed over the centuries through donations and gifts, and includes the necklace of St. Gennaro, made by Michele Dato in 1679 with gold, silver and gems, a mitre made by Matteo Treglia in 1713, in gilded silver and studded with diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

In 1931, the then Prince of Piedmont Umberto di Savoia and his wife, Maria Jose of Belgium, gave the saint a pyx made of gold, coral and malachite. The future "Queen of May" later also donated a gold ring studded with diamonds. To date there are about two thousand two hundred gifts collected over the centuries, all of them extremely valuable.

Every year, on September 19, the miracle of San Gennaro in Naples is repeated with great pomp and solemnity in the majestic spaces of the Naples Cathedral, confirming a very strong mystical bond. On that occasion, the city cathedral is crowded in every single space, waiting for the miracle. It is a worthwhile experience, however, because it is steeped in passion, tradition and folklore.

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