In Naples, the faithful rejoiced on Sept. 19 as the ancient miracle of St. Januarius was once again proclaimed. The blood of the city’s beloved patron saint, preserved in glass ampoules for centuries, liquefied during the celebration of his feast day — a sign that many interpret as a call to deeper faith.
Abbot Monsignor Vincenzo De Gregorio, who oversees the Treasury Chapel of the Naples Cathedral, confirmed the event with joy: “We are delighted to announce that the relic has been found completely liquid,” according to Catholic News Agency. As tradition dictates, the announcement was marked with the waving of a white handkerchief, signaling the miracle to those gathered outside.
A Citywide Celebration of Faith
Cardinal Domenico Battaglia, archbishop of Naples, presided over the feast day Mass. From the high altar, he presented the vial of blood first to the concelebrants, then descended among the faithful while chants filled the cathedral. The archbishop himself was visibly moved at the beginning of the liturgy.
His homily tied the miracle to the sufferings of today’s world, especially the ongoing war in Gaza. “It is the blood of every child of Gaza that is on display in this cathedral,” he said, emphasizing that the feast is not simply about a relic, but a living call to solidarity, prayer, and peace (CNA).
During the Mass, a video message was shared from Father Gabriel Romanelli, pastor of Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza, who expressed gratitude for both the spiritual and material support given by the people of Naples.
A Sign Beyond Superstition
Cardinal Battaglia urged the faithful not to treat the liquefaction as superstition, but as an invitation to radical trust: “Let us look at that sign not with superstition but as an invitation to stake everything on entrustment” (according to CNA).
Reflecting on the witness of St. Januarius, who was martyred around A.D. 305, the archbishop quoted the Gospel of Mark: “Whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it.” He explained: “He did not choose to save himself: He chose to give himself. And the blood, which the violent believed to be a seal of oblivion, became a voice: a voice that still preaches to the city and calls it to trust the Gospel more than any calculation, more than any prudence.”
For Neapolitans, the feast is more than a local celebration. As the cardinal put it: “The streets become naves, the balconies become choirs, the city becomes an entire cathedral. At the center, not an object, but a sign: a vial, a blood, a name — Januarius” (CNA).
The Miracle’s History
The liquefaction of St. Januarius’ blood occurs three times a year: on his feast day of Sept. 19, during the May commemoration of the transfer of his remains to Naples, and on Dec. 16, recalling his intercession during the 1631 eruption of Mount Vesuvius when the city was spared.
For the faithful of Naples, this sign continues to echo across generations. As Abbot De Gregorio described it, the miracle is “an invitation to stake everything on trust in God.”
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