Cathedral of Saint Januarius
The Cathedral of Saint Januarius is an outstanding monument of religious architecture in the city. The temple is located in the historical center of Naples. It was consecrated in honor of Saint Januarius, who is considered the heavenly patron of the Neapolitans. Construction began in the 13th century during the reign of Charles I of Anjou and lasted one hundred years. During its existence, the cathedral was modified several times, until the last large-scale reconstruction of the Gothic structure took place in 1974.
Miraculous salvation
In 472 AD, an eruption of Vesuvius threatened Naples, similar to the one that destroyed Pompeii four centuries earlier. People fled to the catacombs of the city where Januarius was buried and begged him for intercession. The eruption stopped and the city was saved.
The catacombs themselves date back to the third century and are open to the public. In addition to the relics of the saint in the crypt, the Cathedral of Saint Januarius is decorated with beautiful artwork and sculptures both in the main sanctuary and in its many chapels.
Mission of the saint
In telling the story of the Council of Saint Januarius, it should be noted that Januarius lived during the persecution of pilgrims by the Emperor Diocletian, one of the most cruel enemies of the Church. Little information is available from his contemporaries. He is believed to have been born in Benevento and became Bishop of Naples at about 20 years of age. He actively served his flock and helped hide many Christians from the authorities.
His martyrdom occurred in 304 AD, when he visited other Christians in prison and was himself arrested. Tradition says that he was initially thrown to the lions, but instead of attacking him, they bowed to him as a sign of respect. Whether this is true or not, the authorities eventually beheaded him.
Significant Blood
The Cathedral of Saint Januarius in Naples is best known for housing the vessel containing the blood of Saint Januarius. People believe that a “miracle of blood” happens here on certain days of the year. They say that this happened on his holiday (September 19), December 16 and the first Sunday in May. Traditionally, the archbishop leads mass on the feast day in the Cathedral of St. Januarius, and vessels of liquid blood are placed on the altar of the cathedral for eight days. The city then marks the occasion with a 21-gun salute.
Most Neapolitans perceive the miracle in the Cathedral of St. Januarius as a sign of God's mercy and fear that a time when this does not happen will signal some kind of disaster that will befall the city. For example, in 1980 the blood was not liquefied, and that same year an earthquake occurred south of the city, killing more than 2,500 people.
