Among the saints of antiquity, Gennaro is certainly one of the most revered by the faithful thanks also to the cult that the Neapolitans accompanied periodically by the mysterious prodigy of the liquefaction of his blood. A beloved patron of Naples, its iconographic attributes are the pastoral stick and the palm, a symbol of martyrdom.
San Gennaro in the Amphitheater of Pozzuoli, Artemisia Gentileschi, 1636 (Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons)
Who was San Gennaro?
Gennaro was born in Naples, in the second half of the third century, and was elected bishop of Benevento, where he carried out his apostolate, loved by the Christian community and also respected by the pagans. The story of his martyrdom is part of the context of the anti -Christian persecutions of Diocletian.
He knew the deacon Sosso (or Sossio) who guided the Christian community of Miseno and who was imprisoned by the judge Dragonio, proconsul of Campania.
Gennaro learned of the arrest of Sosse, wanted to go together with two companions, Festo and desire to bring him his comfort in prison. Dragonio informed of his presence and intrusion, he also arrested them three, causing the protests of Procolo, deacon of Pozzuoli and two faithful Christians of the same city, Eutiche and Acuzio. These three were also arrested and condemned together with the others to die in the amphitheater, still existing today, to be snorted by bears. But during the preparations, the Dragonian proconsul, realized that the people showed sympathy towards prisoners and therefore predicting disorders during the so -called games, changed decision and on September 19, 305 made prisoners beheading.
What does the name Gennaro mean?
Very widespread in Campania and also in southern Italy, the bifrony god of the keys of the sky, of the beginning of the year and the passage of doors and houses dates back to the Latin “Ianuarius” derived from “Ianus”. The name was generally attributed to children born in January “Ianuarius”, eleventh month of the year according to the Roman calendar, But the first after the I second century reform
Gennaro belonged to the gens Ianuaria, because Ianuarius which means “consecrated to the god Ianus” was not his name, which did not come to us, but the nobleman corresponding to our surname.
What are the sources of his biography?
There are seven ancient ‘acts’, ‘Passio’, ‘Vitae’, who speak of Gennaro, among the most famous the “Bolognese acts” and the “Vatican acts”.
From these documents it is learned that Gennaro born in Naples in the second half of the third century was elected bishop of Benevento, where he carried out his apostolate, loved by the Christian community and also respected by the pagans for the care, which he employed in the works of charity to all indiscriminately; It was in the first period of the Diocletian Empire (243-313), who allowed Christians to also occupy prestigious places and a certain freedom of worship.
How was the tradition of the blood of San Gennaro born?
During the transport of the relics of San Gennaro to Naples, a certain eusebia or other woman, to whom she had entrusted them before dying, handed over the two ampoules containing the blood of the martyr to the Bishop; In memory of the stages of the solemn translation, two chapels were erected: S. Gennariello al Vomero and San Gennaro in Antignano. The cult for the Holy Bishop spread strongly with the passage of time, so the expansion of the catacomb was necessary.
Frescoes, inscriptions, mosaics and paintings, found in the underground cemetery, show that the cult of the martyr was alive since the fifth century, so much so that many Christians wanted to be buried next to him and their tombs were adorned with his images.
It should be noted that already in the fifth century the martyr Gennaro was considered ‘holy’ according to the ancient ecclesiastical custom, canonization then confirmed by Pope Sixtus V in 1586.
The tomb became as already mentioned, a destination for continuous pilgrimages for the great wonders that were attributed to him; In 472, for example, on the occasion of a violent eruption of Vesuvius, the Neapolitans noticed en masse in the catacomb to ask for his intercession, thus starting the habit to invoke him in earthquakes and eruptions, and while increasing the cult for s. Gennaro, gradually decreased the one for s. Agrippino Bishop, until then patron of the city of Naples; From 472 San Gennaro began to take on the main rank of the main patron of the city.
What are the main events of the history of relics?
During another eruption in 512, it was the same bishop of Naples, Stefano I, who started propitiatory prayers; Afterwards he built in his honor, next to the Constantinian Basilica of S. Restituta (first cathedral of Naples), a church called Stefania, on which towards the end of the thirteenth century, the Cathedral was erected; Putting the skull and the display case with the blood ampoules in the crypt. This providential decision, preserved the aforementioned relics, by the theft operated by the Lombard Sicone, who during the siege of Naples of 831, penetrated the catacombs, then outside the city walls, removing the other bones of the saint who were brought to Benevento, home of the Lombard Duchy. The bones remained in this city until 1156, when they were moved to the sanctuary of Montevergine (AV), where they remained for three centuries, even the tracks were lost, until during some excavations carried out in 1480, they were accidentally found under the highest altar, together with those of other saints, but well identified by a lead lamina with the name. On January 13, 1492, after interminable discussions and negotiations with the monks of the Virginian abbey, the bones were brought back to Naples in the juicer of the cathedral and combined with the head and ampoules. Meanwhile, the bones of the skull had been arranged in a precious silver bust, the work of three Provencal goldsmiths, a gift of Charles II of Anjou in 1305, to the Cathedral of Naples. Subsequently in 1646 the silver bust with the skull and the now famous ampoules with the blood, they were placed in the new artistic chapel of the treasure, rich in masterpieces of art of all kinds. The ampoules had been set in a precious display case made by Roberto d’Angiò, in an unspecified period of his long kingdom (1309-1343). The display case assumed the current appearance in the seventeenth century, enclosed between two circular glass of about twelve centimeters in diameter, there are the two ampoules, one larger of shaved elliptical shape, stuffed for about 60% of blood and the smaller cylindrical one with only a few red-brownish spots on the walls; Blood liquefaction takes place only in the larger one. The other relics placed in an ancient amphora, remained in the crypt of the cathedral, on which the apse and the greatest altar of the great cathedral is raised.
When did the blood dissolve the first time?
According to an ancient document, it took place for the first time back in August 17, 1389; It is not excluded, because it is not documented, that it has occurred previously.
March 21, 2015, the dissolution of the blood of San Gennaro during the visit of Pope Francis to Naples
How many times does the miracle of San Gennaro happen?
Three times a year. The first Saturday of May, In which the bust adorned with precious bishopric vestments and the reliquary with the display case and the ampoules, they are brought to procession, together with the silver busts of the numerous saints of Naples, also exposed in the aforementioned chapel of the Treasury, from the Cathedral to the Basilica of S. Chiara, in memory of the first translation from Pozzuoli to Naples, and here after the ritual prayers, the Skit Skit.
The second takes place the September 19, Recommendation of the beheading, once it took place in the Treasury Chapel, but for the large number of faithful, the bust and relics are now exhibited on the main altar of the Duomo, where even here after repeated prayers, with the presence of the cardinal archbishop, civil authorities and faithful, the prodigy between the general riot takes place. The liquefaction was the display case supported by the archbishop, it is shown almost upside down to the faithful and the kiss of the closest; The blood remains dissolved throughout the next eighth and the faithful are admitted to see the display case by neighbors and kiss it with a prelate who moves it to make the liquidity ascertain, after eight days he is placed again in the niche and locked.
The third liquefaction takes place the December 16th “Feast of the patronage of S. Gennaro”, in memory of the disastrous eruption of Vesuvius in 1631, blocked after the invocations to the saint. The prodigy so punctual has not always happened, There is a diary of the canons of the Cathedral that brings back over the centuries, even the times the blood has not melted, or with hours and days late, or sometimes it was already found liquefied when they have been opened
What is the religious meaning of the miracle?
“Miracles,” he said Don Nicola Buxtheologian of the diocese of Bari and consultant to the congregations of the causes of the saints, “are a tool to recall man to higher principles. The dissolution of Gennaro’s blood is not the only one of the saints. Two cases must be mentioned both near Naples. These are San Pantaleone in Ravello and San Lorenzo in Amaseno, in the province of Frosinone.
In ancient times, Christians recovered the blood of those who had been killed in the name of Christ, preserving him in ampoules. It is a habit that is reported in the “deeds of martyrs”. And here we come to the meaning of the word “martyr”, from the Greek “witness”. In this case “witness of Christ”. He who left killed him in order not to deny God is a martyr. A witness.
Tertullian in the third century after Christ writes that “the blood of the martyrs has a particular virtue: it is seed of new Christians”. Therefore, the renewal of the miracle of San Gennaro sprouts the faith. Reversibility, from solid liquid state, of Gennaro’s blood is something life. “
What is the treasure of San Gennaro?
Today kept in a bank caveau, being huge and very precious, it is the set of gifts made to the patron saint by sovereigns, nobles and how many others have received thanks for his intercession, or their person and family or to the city itself.
The keys of the niche, are kept by the deputation of the Treasury of San Gennaro, For centuries composed of noble and illustrious Neapolitan characters with the mayor of the city head.
