Posted on 09/19/2008 10:13:28 AM PDT by Pyro7480
(ANSA) - Naples, September 19 - The Miracle of San Gennaro was repeated on Wednesday when the blood of this city's patron saint liquefied at 9.30am.
The event was announced to the thousands packing the cathedral and square outside, who cheered and let off firecrackers.
A visibly moved Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the Archbishop of Naples, held up a phial containing the blood of the 3rd-century saint while a traditional white handkerchief was waved.
Cardinal Sepe said that, unusually, the blood was already in liquid form when it was taken out of the strongbox where it is stored.
But the liquefaction had taken place around the time it usually does, he said.
Aside from the faithful, leading local politicians attended the ceremony which was also broadcast live by a host of national and international TV networks.
Naples Mayor Rosa Russo Jervolino told reporters that Naples, which has hit headlines worldwide with a trash crisis that has just been solved, ''must not die but must continue to bloom again and again''.
She said she had felt ''a very strong emotion'' when the case containing the saint's blood was opened.
The miracle takes place on the anniversary of the martyrdom of San Gennaro (St.Januarius) in September 305 AD.
The dried blood of the saint is preserved in two glass phials and traditionally liquefies three times a year, the Church says thanks to the devotion and prayers of the faithful.
Aside from the anniversary of the saint's beheading, the miracle also takes place on December 16 to commemorate the 1631 eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, believed to have been halted by the saint's intervention, and again on the Saturday before the first Sunday in May.
On this occasion, there is a procession through the city's streets to recall the many times the relics have been moved over the centuries.
The liquefaction process sometimes takes hours, even days, and on occasions fails to happen at all.
SAINT'S LEGEND.
For the faithful and superstitious, the ritual's success is a good omen for the city while its failure is a sign of impending disaster.
In fact, disaster has struck on at least five occasions when the blood failed to liquefy, including in 1527 when tens of thousands of people died from the plague and in 1980 when 3,000 people were killed in an earthquake which devastated much of southern Italy.
The phials will remain on view in the cathedral for eight days before being returned to a vault in the chapel of the cathedral's treasury.
The first historical reference to the liquefaction of the martyr's blood is dated 1389.
Although now a headline-making saint, little is known about San Gennaro except that he was bishop of Benevento to the south of Naples and was martyred during the persecution of Christians spearheaded by the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
The bishop was beheaded for refusing to bow down to his 'pagan' persecutors.
According to legend, his body and head, still dripping blood, were gathered up by an old man and taken to a safe place while a local woman filled a phial with his spilt blood.
A group of Italian scientists has analysed the contents of the phials, establishing that they do contain blood, but have been unable to explain the phenomenon.
Some sceptics believe it is due to the shaking of the containers or the penetration of warmth from the holder's hands.
Catholic ping!
St. Januarius, pray for us! And for your very difficult, sometimes dirty, but always wonderful city.
As an experiment I would like these skeptics try shaking powdered milk or instant tea to see how long shaking produces liquid. These skeptics can pick the container but for purposes of the experiment must shake the container with their hands.
Why is the Cardinal so happy?
So very happy?
And his predecessor?
Everyone, in fact, is happy!
bump
Ping!
Beheaded?
God Bless American, Land that I Love.....
Even though our constitution needs to be heeded more in this day and age.
Hey anyone read Mrs. Cheneys new book yet?
I want to get it for us it sounds very educational and interesting.
I am looking forward to my daily ZENIT to show up in the e mailly to see what or if the Vatican comments on this article/event in Naples.
I like that they used the word Legend when saying disaster has struck when the blood of the Saint does not liquefy.
I wonder how long of a period it liquefies like hours/days at a time?
And why is I was thinking whomever checks the vial....what if the blood liquefies and they miss it?
LOL at your comment.
Is it the city that has no trash disposal system?
As in the garbage just piles up and lines the streets or did you mean a different kind of dirty?
How are the Labs?
Our state just lifted a ban on having canines camp in yurts at the state park.
On my respite over night times I want to get a yurt and take my one very compliant laid back Lab.
I have had a great Nursing crew to come in and take care of KV this past year after not having any respite for over a year.
Along with that I one a free oceanside suite for 3 nights (one night per month) so my lodging has been free along with meals.
So now it is yurt cost saving accomadations and I dont care to stay alone without my canine companion(s).
Sorry to go off topic I am procrastinating getting on with a very busy work/careproviding day.
Ha. How can one dispute DRIED blood liquefi ing.
It IMO is a Miracle.
How can any believer put limits on God? I think not.
Hey I was trying to visualize a what an ancient vial would look like.
You posted pics got my answer.
Pretty fancy vial and not made in China. : )
Naples FINALLY settled the garbage strike last week. I'm not sure how long it's been going on, but I think it's at LEAST a year and maybe longer.
But it has always been a city with a somewhat lackadaisical attitude towards grunge and clutter. If you have a sensitive nose, you simply won't be happy there (although Vicks Vap-o-Rub helps!) But it has wonderful compensations - the museums, the food, the climate, the people.
The Labs are doing great. We have entered them in a Hunt Test tomorrow and Sunday -- wish us luck! I think Miss Ruby will do fine at the beginner level, but I'm not quite sure Miss Shelley is ready to move up to the next level which is a big jump . . . but we'll see.
I have never camped in a yurt. Is it a REAL yurt - like on the steppes and Mongolian ponies and archers and all? Sounds like an opportunity for a limerick to me . . . .
Bump to the Labs to make there Mother proud!
Yurt here are white and look like huge igloos made of some type of tenting material.
They come with heat and wood built bunks and can accomadate a family.
Never have seen one up close only in the ads for the state park.
No doggies no camping for me.
Companion and protection for a single ole gal.
Unsavory charactors lurk just about anywhere in this world even on the secluded coast here.
Good to here from you.
Funny how when Praying the Rosary the people and pets that are not in our physical life/area can just pop in and out of lifting up intentions. : )
There are even a few in Georgia:
No pets allowed in yurts in Bobby Brown S.P., though. :-(
I'm with you - I want my girls with me when camping. Distant Early Warning System. And I was surprised how protective even sweet lovable Labs can be, if they perceive somebody as threatening -- my little 45 pound Choc jumped in front of me to stare down a stray Pit Bull. Hackles up all over, great big growl from her belly -- pretty impressive for a little Affection Sponge.
And you're right about the Rosary - I sometimes find myself praying for people I haven't thought of in ages . . . and usually I find out they needed it . . . . to the point that I will ask the Blessed Virgin, "OK, dear Lady, you know who needs it most!"
I think I've heard that saints' blood, other than St. Januarius', has liquefied in the Naples area before. Have you heard those stories?
I was reading the saint of the day earlier today and liked this statement on the topic of miracles: On the other hand, when even scientists speak about "probabilities" rather than "laws" of nature, it is something less than imaginative for Christians to think that God is too "scientific" to work extraordinary miracles to wake us up to the everyday miracles of sparrows and dandelions, raindrops and snowflakes.
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/SaintofDay/
I’ve owned Labs for years and have seen them take on bigger dogs and even aggressive horses to protect children and adults. They are so eager to please that they often don’t realize their own limits and will keep going to the point of exhaustion sometimes.
Eager to please - driven to retrieve.
Now my older Lab has some sense. If you send her on one retrieve too many, she will trot back to 'heel', deliver the bird, and then lie down and flip over on her back. "O.K., Boss, I'm done!"
http://www.sangennaro.org/
the feast in nyc is everything except a religious feast. I wonder if the mob still controls it.
Holy Spirit, Saint Januarius cared about people who suffered and risked his own freedom to visit those who had been imprison for the Faith. Indeed, he ended up a prisoner with them. I ask him to pray for my heart to be filled with the same compassion. O God, help me to bring joy and comfort to the people around me, especially those who are imprisoned by discouragement, heavy burdens, difficult jobs, unhealed wounds, and abusive relationships. Whenever I see suffering in others, help me to not run away due to feelings of inadequacy. Turn my fears into trust in You, for You are with me. Saint Januarius, pray for us. Amen.
Unfortunately, Giuliani kicked the mob out, and now San Gennaro is a generic street fest with the same boring trinket vendors that you see at every other NYC street fest. Even Santa Rosalia in Brooklyn is rather staid now.
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