The 'Miracle' of San Gennaro was
repeated on Tuesday when the blood of Naples' patron saint
liquefied at 10:03 Italian time.
The announcement was greeted with long applause by the many
faithful gathered in the Cathedral, who consider the periodic
liquefaction to be a good omen for the city and for the Campania
region.
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 martyrdom of San Gennaro (St.
Januarius) in September 305 AD, 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.
When the miracle does not occur it is seen as a sign of
impending disaster.
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.
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