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A volcanic field off the shore of Sicily, near Naples, has become active, scientists report. The Campi Flegrei volcano is much larger than nearby Mt. Vesuvius, the volcano whose eruption destroyed the ancient city of Pompei. An eruption of this “supervolcano” could endanger much of Europe. News of the volcanic activity was made public less than a week after the blood of St. Januarius failed to liquefy when displayed in the Naples cathedral. Sicilians have long believed that when the miracle of St. Januarius does not occur, disaster will follow for the people of Naples. A supervolcano caused the largest...

The Blood of Saint Januarius liquefied this year.

Catholics who commemorate the Feast of St. Januarius may celebrate two miracles—one ancient, one modern; one Old World, one New World. This past September 19, at the cathedral in Naples, Italy, dedicated to the fourth century martyr, dried blood preserved as a relic of the saint miraculously liquefied, as it has done nearly every year for the last seventeen hundred years. Half a world away, in New York’s Little Italy, descendants of Neapolitan immigrants remembered their Old World patron saint with a ten-day Festival of San Gennaro, much as they have done for the past eighty-seven years. As skeptics sadly...

September 19, 2006 Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Tuesday 39 Reading 11 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a Brothers and sisters:As a body is one though it has many parts,and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,so also Christ.For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. Now the body is not a single part, but many. Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it.Some people God has designated in the Churchto be, first, Apostles;...

September 19, 2005Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Monday 41 Reading IEzra 1:1-6 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia,in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah,the LORD inspired King Cyrus of Persiato issue this proclamation throughout his kingdom,both by word of mouth and in writing:“Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia:‘All the kingdoms of the earththe LORD, the God of heaven, has given to me,and he has also charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem,which is in Judah.Therefore, whoever among you belongs to any part of his people,let him...

Saint's Blood Reportedly Liquefies Again NAPLES, Italy, SEPT. 19, 2004 (Zenit.org).- The blood of St. Januarius ran -- again. So said Cardinal Michele Giordano, archbishop of Naples. Before thousands of faithful gathered in the cathedral this morning, on the liturgical feast of the city's patron, the cardinal announced that the saint's blood liquefied yet again. The cardinal also announced that the Church in Naples will observe the 17th centenary of St. Januarius' martyrdom by promoting, next September, an international study congress on the saint's life, Vatican Radio reported. The meeting will address questions linked to archaeology, anthropology, art history and...

September 19, 2003Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Friday 40 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading I1 Tm 6:2c-12 Beloved:Teach and urge these things.Whoever teaches something differentand does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christand the religious teachingis conceited, understanding nothing,and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,who are deprived of the truth,supposing religion to be a means of gain.Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.For we brought nothing into the world,just as we shall not...

September 19, 2002Thursday of the Twenty-Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Psalm: Thursday 41 Reading I Responsorial Psalm Gospel Reading I1 Cor 15:1-11 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters,of the Gospel I preached to you,which you indeed received and in which you also stand.Through it you are also being saved,if you hold fast to the word I preached to you,unless you believed in vain.For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received:that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures;that he was buried;that he was raised on the third day in accordance with...