Feast of San Gennaro

San Gennaro, Feast of

September 19

San Gennaro, or St. Januarius, fourth-century bishop of Benevento, is the patron saint of Naples, Italy. According to legend, he survived being thrown into a fiery furnace and then a den of wild beasts, but was eventually beheaded during the reign of Diocletian. His body was brought to Naples, along with a vial containing some of his blood. The congealed blood, preserved since that time in the Cathedral of San Gennaro, is claimed to liquefy on the anniversary of his death each year—an event that has drawn crowds to Naples since 1389.
Scientists have recently come up with a possible explanation for the phenomenon: certain substances, including some types of mayonnaise, are normally thick gels that can be liquefied instantly by shaking or stirring. Left standing, such liquids soon revert to gels. The answer may never be known because, to date, the Roman Catholic Church has forbidden opening the vial and analyzing its chemical nature.
The Society of San Gennaro in New York City's "Little Italy" section began holding a San Gennaro festival on Mulberry Street in 1925. Since 1996, however, the festival has been organized by the Figli (Children) of San Gennaro, an organization within the Archdiocese of New York City. The 11-day event attracts nearly two million spectators. It includes processions carrying a statue of St. Januarius from the shrine at Most Precious Blood Church as well as a street fair. One of the goals of the event is to find a mate for the festival queen, who more often than not has married within two years after her festival reign. Proceeds from the festival go to low-income schools and parishes on the city's Lower East Side. In 2001, the festival was cancelled due to the nearby terrorist attacks of September 11. Instead, the church held a memorial service followed by a candlelight procession of the statue of the saint.
See also Holy Blood, Procession of the

CONTACTS:
Italian Government Tourist Board
630 Fifth Ave., Ste. 1565
New York, NY 10111
212-245-5618; fax: 212-586-9249
www.italiantourism.com
Figli di San Gennaro Inc.
109 Mulberry St.
New York, NY 10002
212-226-6427
www.sangennaro.org

SOURCES:
AnnivHol-2000, p. 157
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 238
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 390
GdUSFest-1984, p. 125
OxYear-1999, p. 379
(c)

Celebration day: Sep 19