Saint Januarius, , Bishop of Naples, is a
martyrA Christian martyr is one who is killed for following Christianity, through stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake or other forms of torture and capital punishment. The word "martyr" comes from the Greek word which means "witness."...
saintSaints, individuals of exceptional holiness, are significant in many religions, particularly Christianity.-General characteristics :Though the term is mostly used for Christians considered holy or virtuous, many religions use similar concepts to elevate people worthy of respect, e.g. see Hindu...
of both the
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
and the
Eastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to in English speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world's second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members...
es. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later sources and legends claim that he died during the Diocletianic Persecution, which ended with Diocletian's retirement in 305.
Saint Januarius is the patron of
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, where faithful gather three times a year to witness the alleged liquefaction of a sample of his blood kept in a sealed glass
ampouleAn ampoule is a small sealed vial which is used to contain and preserve a sample, usually a solid or liquid. Ampoules are commonly made of glass, although plastic ampoules do exist....
.
Little is known of the life of Januarius, and what follows is mostly derived from later Christian sources, such as the Acta bononiensa (BHL 4132, not earlier than 6th century) and the Acta Vaticana (BHL 4115, 9th century), and from later-developing folk tradition.
The earliest extant mention of him is contained in a 432 letter by Uranius, bishop of Nola on the death of his mentor Saint
Paulinus of NolaSaint Paulinus of Nola, also known as Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus was a Roman Senator who converted to a severe monasticism in 394...
, where it is stated that the ghosts of Januarius and
Saint MartinSaint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km
2 island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles ; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations, a division...
appeared to Paulinus three days before the latter's death on 431.
Saint Januarius, , Bishop of Naples, is a
martyrA Christian martyr is one who is killed for following Christianity, through stoning, crucifixion, burning at the stake or other forms of torture and capital punishment. The word "martyr" comes from the Greek word which means "witness."...
saintSaints, individuals of exceptional holiness, are significant in many religions, particularly Christianity.-General characteristics :Though the term is mostly used for Christians considered holy or virtuous, many religions use similar concepts to elevate people worthy of respect, e.g. see Hindu...
of both the
Roman CatholicThe Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church. With more than a billion members, over half of all Christians and more than one-sixth of the world's population, the Catholic Church is a communion of the Western, or Latin Rite Church, and...
and the
Eastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, also officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to in English speaking countries as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the world's second largest Christian communion, estimated to number 225 million members...
es. While no contemporary sources on his life are preserved, later sources and legends claim that he died during the Diocletianic Persecution, which ended with Diocletian's retirement in 305.
Saint Januarius is the patron of
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, where faithful gather three times a year to witness the alleged liquefaction of a sample of his blood kept in a sealed glass
ampouleAn ampoule is a small sealed vial which is used to contain and preserve a sample, usually a solid or liquid. Ampoules are commonly made of glass, although plastic ampoules do exist....
.
Biography
Little is known of the life of Januarius, and what follows is mostly derived from later Christian sources, such as the Acta bononiensa (BHL 4132, not earlier than 6th century) and the Acta Vaticana (BHL 4115, 9th century), and from later-developing folk tradition.
The earliest extant mention of him is contained in a 432 letter by Uranius, bishop of Nola on the death of his mentor Saint
Paulinus of NolaSaint Paulinus of Nola, also known as Pontius Meropius Anicius Paulinus was a Roman Senator who converted to a severe monasticism in 394...
, where it is stated that the ghosts of Januarius and
Saint MartinSaint Martin is a tropical island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately 300 km east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km
2 island is divided roughly in half between France and the Netherlands Antilles ; it is the smallest inhabited sea island divided between two nations, a division...
appeared to Paulinus three days before the latter's death on 431. About Januarius, the account says only that he was "bishop as well as martyr, an illustrious member of the Neapolitan church" The Acta Bononensia says that "At Pozzuoli in Campania [is honored the memory] of the holy martyrs Januarius, Bishop of Beneventum, Festus his
deaconDeacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
, and Desiderius
lectorLector is a Latin term for one who reads, whether aloud or not. In modern languages the word has come to take various forms, as either a development or a loan, such as , , and . It has various specialized uses:...
, together with Sossius deacon of the church of
MisenumMisenum is the site of an ancient port in Campania, in southern Italy. It is located on a cape on the northwest end of the Bay of Naples, at modern Miseno.- History :...
,
Proculus deacon of PozzuoliSaint Proculus of Pozzuoli was martyred around 305 AD, at the same time as Saint Januarius.He was martyred with:*Sossius or Sosius, deacon of Miseno *Festus, lector *Desiderius, lector *Acutius, layman...
, Eutyches and Acutius, who after chains and imprisonment were beheaded under the Emperor
DiocletianGaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus , born Diocles and commonly known as Diocletian , was Roman Emperor from 20 November 284 to 1 May 305. Born to a Dalmatian family of low status, he rose through the ranks of the military to become cavalry commander to the emperor Carus...
".
Legends about his life and death
According to various Christian legends, he was allegedly born in
BeneventoBenevento is a town and comune of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, 50 km northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill 130 m above sea-level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino and Sabato. It is also the seat of a Catholic archbishop.Benevento occupies the site of...
to a rich patrician family that traced its descent to the
CaudiniThe Caudini were a Samnite tribe that lived among the mountains ringing Campania and in the valleys of the Isclero and Volturnus rivers. Their capital was at Caudium, but it seems certain that the appellation was not confined to the citizens of Caudium and its immediate territory...
tribe of the Samnites. At a young age of 15, he became local priest of his parish in Benevento, which at the time was relatively pagan. When Januarius was 20, he became Bishop of
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
and befriended
Juliana of NicomediaSaint Juliana of Nicomedia is said to have suffered Christian martyrdom during the Diocletian persecution in 304. She was popular in the Middle Ages, especially in the Netherlands, as the patron saint of childbirth and sickness.-Historical background:...
and Saint Sossius whom he met during his priestly studies as young boys. During the one and a half year-long persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian he hid his fellow Christians and prevented them from being caught. Unfortunately, while visiting Sossius in jail, he too was arrested. He and his colleagues were condemned to be thrown to wild bears in the
Flavian AmphitheaterThe Flavian Amphitheater , located in Pozzuoli, is the third largest Roman amphitheater in Italy. Only the Roman Colosseum and the Capuan Amphitheater are larger. It was likely built by the same architects who previously constructed the Roman Colosseum...
at
PozzuoliPozzuoli is a city of the province of Naples, in the Italian region of Campania. It is the main city of the Phlegrean peninsula.-History:Pozzuoli began as the Greek colony of Dicaearchia. The Roman colony was established in 194 BC, and took the Latin name Puteoli 'little wells', referring to the...
, but the sentence was changed due to fear of public disturbances, and they were beheaded instead. Other legends says that the wild beasts refused to eat them, and also that he was thrown into a furnace but came out unscathed. The beheading is claimed to have taken place at the
SolfataraSolfatara is a shallow volcanic crater at Pozzuoli, near Naples, southern Italy; it is part of the Campi Flegrei volcanic area. It is a dormant volcano, which still emits jets of steam with sulphurous fumes. The name comes from the Latin, Sulpha terra, "land of sulphur", or "sulfur earth"...
crater near Pozzuoli.
Relics
According to an early
hagiographyHagiography is the study of saints. A hagiography, from the Greek and , refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of ecclesiastical and secular leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though...
, his relics were transferred by order of
Saint SeverusSaint Severus was a bishop of Naples during the 4th and 5th centuries. He is considered the twelfth bishop of Naples, succeeding Maximus. His episcopate ran from February 363 to April 29, 409, the traditional date of his death...
, Bishop of Naples, to the
Neapolitan catacombsThe Catacombs of San Gennaro are underground paleo-Christian burial sites in Naples, Italy and are the most important such sites in Italy south of Rome. They are situated in the northern part of the city, on the slope leading up to Capodimonte...
"extra moeniaExtra moenia is a Latin phrase that means outside the walls or outside the walls of the city.The phrase is commonly used in reference to the original attributes of a building, usually a church, where it was built outside the original city walls...
," "outside the walls". In the early tenth century the body was moved to Beneventum by
Sico, prince of BeneventoSico was the Lombard Prince of Benevento from the 817 to his own death. Before that, he had been the gastald of Acerenza. On the assassination of Grimoald IV, Sico succeeded to the princely throne...
, with the head remaining in Naples. Subsequently, during the turmoil at the time of
Frederick BarbarossaFrederick I Barbarossa was elected King of Germany at Frankfurt on 4 March 1152 and crowned in Aachen on 9 March, crowned King of Italy in Pavia in 1154, and finally crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Adrian IV on 18 June 1155. He was crowned King of Burgundy at Arles on 30 June 1178...
, his body was moved again, this time to the
Abbey of MontevergineThe Benedictine Williamites, more often known by the name of its chief house, Monte Vergine in central Italy, was a Catholic monastic order.Besides Monte Vergine, St. William of Vercelli founded a considerable number of monasteries, especially in the Kingdom of Naples, including a double monastery...
where it was rediscovered in 1480.
At the instigation of Cardinal
Oliviero CarafaOliviero Carafa was an Italian Cardinal and diplomat of the Renaissance. Like the majority of his era's prelates, he displayed the magnificent way of life that was expected of a prince of the Church...
, his body was finally transferred in 1497 to
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
, where he is the city's
patron saintA patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, or person. Patron saints, because they have already transcended to the metaphysical, are able to intercede effectively for the needs of their special charges...
. Carafa commissioned a richly decorated
cryptIn architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a church usually used as a chapel or burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
, the
Succorpo, beneath the cathedral to properly house the reunited body and head. The
"Succorpo" was finished in 1506 and is considered one of the prominent monuments of the
High RenaissanceThe High Renaissance, in the history of art, denotes the culmination of the art of the Italian Renaissance between 1450 and 1527. Because Pope Julius II patronized many artists during this time, the movement was centered in Rome; it had previously been centered in Florence.The High Renaissance is...
in the city.
Cult
St Januarius' feast day is celebrated on September 19, in the calendar of the Catholic Church. In the Eastern Church it is celebrated on April 21. The city of
NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
has more than fifty official
patron saintsThe city of Naples has more than 50 official patron saints, although its principal patron is Saint Januarius.. Second in terms of importance is Saint Aspren , first bishop of Naples....
, although its principal patron is Saint Januarius..
For the Italian population of
Little Italy, ManhattanThis article is about the neighborhood currently known as Little Italy in Lower Manhattan. For the neighborhood once known as Little Italy in Upper Manhattan, see Italian Harlem....
, and other New Yorkers, the
Feast of San GennaroThe Feast of San Gennaro, originally a one-day religious commemoration, started when the first Feast in New York City took place September, 1926 when newly arrived immigrants from Naples settled along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of New York City to continue the tradition they had...
is a highlight of the year, when the saint's
polychromePolychrome is one of the terms used to describe the use of multiple colors in one entity. Polychromatic light is composed of a number of different wavelengths. Most often, the term is used in conjunction with certain styles of architecture, pottery or sculpture in multiple colours...
statue is carried through the streets and a blocks-long street fair ensues.
The Blood Miracle
Saint Januarius is famous for the reputed
miracleA miracle is a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature, such that can be attempted to be explained by divine intervention, and is sometimes associated with a miracle worker. Many folktales, religious texts, and people claim various events they refer to as "miraculous". People in different...
of the annual liquefaction of his
bloodBlood is a specialized bodily fluid that delivers necessary substances to the body's cells — such as nutrients and oxygen — and transports waste products away from those same cells....
, which, according to legend, was saved by a woman called
EusebiaEusebia may refer to:* Eusebia , second wife of the Roman emperor Constantius II* Ereleuva or Eusebia , the mother of Theoderic the Great* Kayseri or Eusebia, a Turkish city* any of several Christian saints; see St...
just after the saint's death. Thousands of people assemble to witness this event in the cathedral of Naples, three times a year: on September 19 (Saint Januarius day, to commemorate his martyrdom), on December 16 (to celebrate his patronage of both Naples and of the archdiocese), and on the Saturday before the first Sunday of May (to commemorate the reunification of his relics).
Description of the ritual
The dried blood is stored in two hermetically sealed small
ampouleAn ampoule is a small sealed vial which is used to contain and preserve a sample, usually a solid or liquid. Ampoules are commonly made of glass, although plastic ampoules do exist....
s, held since the 17th century in a
silverSilver is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
reliquaryA reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...
between two round glass plates about 12 cm wide. The smaller ampoule, of cylindrical shape, contains only a few reddish spots on its walls (the bulk having allegedly been removed and taken to
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
by
Charles IIICharles III was the King of Spain and the Spanish Indies from 1759 to his death in 1788.Eldest son of Philip V of Spain and his second wife, Princess Elisabeth of Parma, he became the Duke of Parma and Piacenza under the name of Charles I ; later on in 1734 while Duke of Parma he conquered...
). The larger ampoule, with capacity of about 60 ml and almond-shaped, is about 60% filled with a dark reddish substance. Separate reliquaries hold bone fragments believed to be of St. Januarius.
For most of the time, the ampoules are kept in a bank's vault, whose keys are held by a commission of local notables, including the
Mayor"Mayor" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government....
of Naples; while the bones are kept in a
cryptIn architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a church usually used as a chapel or burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
under the main altar of the Duomo of Naples. On feast days, all these relics are taken in procession from the Duomo to the
Monastery of Santa ChiaraSanta Chiara is a religious complex in Naples, southern Italy, that includes the Church of Santa Chiara, a monastery, tombs and an archeological museum....
, where the
archbishopIn Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. In many Christian Churches, this means that they lead a diocese of particular importance called an archdiocese, or in the Anglican Communion an Ecclesiastical Province, but this is not always the case. An archbishop is equivalent to a bishop in...
holds the reliquary up and tilts it to show that the contents is solid, and places it on the high altar next to the Saint's other relics. After intense prayers by the faithful --- including the so-called "relatives of Saint Januarius" (
parenti di San Gennaro), the content of the larger vial typically liquefies. The archbishop then holds up the vial and tilts it again to demonstrate that liquefaction has taken place. The announcement of the liquefaction is greeted with a
21-gun saluteGun salutes are the firing of cannons or arms as a honour.The custom originates in naval tradition, where a warship would fire its cannons harmlessly out to sea, until all ammunition was spent, to show that it was disarmed, signifying the lack of hostile intent.As naval customs evolved, 21 volleys...
at the 13th-century
Castel NuovoCastel Nuovo , often called Maschio Angioino, is a castle in the city of Naples, southern Italy. It is the main symbol of the architecture of the city...
. The ampoules remains exposed on the altar for eight days, while the priests move or turn them periodically to show that the contents remains liquid.
The liquefaction sometimes takes place almost immediately, but can take hours or even days. Records kept at the Duomo tell that on rare occasions the blood fails to liquefy, or is found already liquefied when the ampoules are taken from the safe, or that the miracle occurred outside the usual dates.
A chronicle of Naples written in 1382 describes the cult of St. Januarius in detail, but mentions neither the relic nor the miracle. The first recorded reference to the 'miracle of the blood' was in 1389..
Catholic Church's position
While the Catholic Church has always supported the celebrations, it has never formulated an official statement on the phenomenon, and maintains a neutral stance about scientific investigations. After the II Vatican Council, it even considered removing St. Januarius (together with other saints of uncertain historicity) from the liturgical calendar, but popular pressure made it retain the Saint's veneration as a local cult.
St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote regarding St Januarius:
"The NeapolitanNeapolitan may refer to:* Neapolitan--of, or pertaining to the city of Naples, Italy and sometimes its wider Duchy or Province of Naples*Previously a nationality, during the time of the Kingdom of Naples or the Neapolitan Republics* Neapolitan cuisine...
s honor this saint as the principal patron of their city and nation, and the Lord himself has continued to honor him, by allowing many miracles to be wrought through his intercession, particularly when the frightful eruptions of Mount VesuviusMount Vesuvius is a stratovolcano east of Naples, Italy. It is the only volcano on the European mainland to have erupted within the last hundred years, although it is not currently erupting...
have threatened the city of NaplesNaples in Italy, is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples. The city is known for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,800 years old...
with utter destruction. While the relics of St. Januarius were being brought in procession towards this terrific volcano, the torrents of lava and liquid fire which it emitted have ceased, or turned their course from the city. But the most stupendous miracle, and that which is greatly celebrated in the church, is the liquefying and boiling up of this blessed martyr's blood whenever the vials are brought in sight of his head. This miracle is renewed many times in the year, in presence of all who desire to witness it; yet some heretics have endeavored to throw a doubt upon its genuineness, by frivolous and incoherent explanations; but no one can deny the effect to be miraculous, unless he be prepared to question the evidence of his senses."
John Henry Cardinal Newman also attested to the veracity of the miracle of liquefaction:
"I think it impossible to withstand the evidence which is brought for the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius at Naples and for the motion of the eyes in the pictures of the Madonna in the Papal States."
Scientific studies and other theories
The reality of the phenomenon is attested by innumerable witnesses, and is widely accepted even by researchers who are skeptic about the relic's origin and associated supernatural claims. A willful fraud is also considered unlikely, given the long history of the phenomenon and the intense scrutiny to which is has been submitted.
The owners of the relics do not allow the vials to be opened, for fear that doing so may cause irreparable damage. A spectroscopic analysis performed in 1902 by Gennaro Sperindeo e Raffaele Januario claimed that the spectrum was consistent with
hemoglobinHemoglobin is the iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein in the red blood cells of vertebrates, and the tissues of some invertebrates....
. Another analysis, with similar conclusions, was performed in 1989. However, the reliability of those observations has been questioned. While clotted blood can be liquefied by mechanical stirring, the resulting suspension cannot solidify again.
Measurements made in 1900 and 1904 claimed that the ampoules' weight increased by up to 28 grams during liquefaction. However, later measurements with a precision balance, performed over five years, failed to detect any variation.
Various suggestions for the content's composition have been advanced, such as a material that is photosensitive, hygroscopic, or has a low melting point. However, these explanations run into technical difficulties, such as the variability of the phenomenon and it being unrelated to ambient temperature.
A recent theory by Garlaschelli, Ramaccini, and Della Sala is that the vial contains a
thixotropicThixotropy is the property of certain gels or fluids that are thick under normal conditions, but flow over time when shaken, agitated, or otherwise stressed.In more technical language:...
gelA gel is a solid, jelly-like material that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute crosslinked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state...
. In such a substance viscosity increases if left unstirred and decreases if stirred or moved. Researchers have proposed specifically a suspension of
hydrated iron oxideA number of species are dubbed iron oxide-hydroxide. These chemicals are oxide-hydroxides of iron, and may occur in anhydrous or hydrated forms...
, FeO(OH), which reproduces the color and behavior of the 'blood' in the ampule. The suspension can be prepared from simple chemicals that would have been easily available locally since antiquity.
See also
- Cathedral of Naples
The Cathedral of Naples is the main church of Naples, southern Italy. It is dedicated to San Gennaro , the city's patron. The church houses a vial of the Saint's blood that is brought out twice a year, on the first Saturday in May and 19 September, and usually liquefies...
- Feast of San Gennaro
The Feast of San Gennaro, originally a one-day religious commemoration, started when the first Feast in New York City took place September, 1926 when newly arrived immigrants from Naples settled along Mulberry Street in the Little Italy section of New York City to continue the tradition they had...
, as held annually in New York and Los Angeles
- Order of St. Januarius
The Illustrious Royal Order of Saint Januarius is an order of knighthood bestowed by the head of the Royal House of Bourbon of the Two Sicilies...
External links