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Neapolitan locals will tell you it’s true. In Naples, you can witness two miracles and even ask for a personal miracle. A visit to three churches in the downtown area allow you to judge for yourself.
Every Saturday before the first Sunday in May, the blood of San Gennaro (hopefully!) liquefies during a celebratory mass. Located at Il Duomo, two hermetically sealed ampoules store the dried blood of the city’s patron saint. Twice a year (including the patron saint’s day on September 19th), the Cardinal takes the ampoule from its side niche and shows parishoners that the miracle has taken place. If San Gennaro’s blood doesn’t liquefy, many say that terrible catastrophes will plague the city. Processions follow the mass and the streets are closed so that rows of vendors can sell candies and other delights.
If you miss San Gennaro’s miracle, once a week after the nine-thirty mass at the San Gregorio Armeno Church, the blood of Saint Patricia also liquefies. The patron saintess of Naples, she was a descendant of Constantine the Great who spent her life helping the needy of the city. Five hundred years after her death, a knight tried to pluck out Saint Patricia’s tooth as a memento and blood began to pour out of the cavity. The nuns of the church preserved some of this blood in vials. Now, after every Tuesday morning mass, worshippers can kiss the ampoule with her liquid blood inside.
Then, on any given day, you can visit the Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo where the physician and canonized saint San Giuseppe Moscati rests. Worshippers come here and leave silver ex-voto body parts along the walls that they want to have healed. Many say their illnesses have miraculously disappeared thanks to Saint Moscati’s blessings.
If you leave your doubts aside, you’ll find that these churches hold a bit of community spirit and a sense of hope. They are charming to visit and are also what give Naples its reputation of being the ‘city of miracles.’
Barbara recently published "
A fourth miracle would be to be able to drive safely to these churches.
ciao
Heading to Naples next year so I will look forward to visiting at least one of these Churches.
As a Neapolitan..in addition to what happens in the different churches..I may read differently the quote “the city of miracles”! As a matter of fact Naples is the city where the impossible is possible and where the unexpected is to be expected..nothing is routine!!!This is one of its shortcomings but also one of its charms and what makes it intriguing…
Barbara, In the south of Italy, especially, the charm of these traditions outweighs any cynicism one might have about whether miracles exist or not. After all, couldn’t all of us use a miracle or two these days? I know I can! Thanks for a very well written and interesting note! Toni
I knew about San Gennaro and St. Moscati, but I had not heard about St. Patricia. I knew about San Gregorio Armeno, but have never visited the church. I’m usually wandering on Via San Gregoriao Armeno admiring Christmas presepi. I will try to do both when I am in Naples again next December.
Gorgeous church !
Thanks everyone for responses that make me smile!
@Joan: The best about San Gregorio Armeno was that the nuns let me see the ampoule after the mass. They are so kind there.
@Toni & @Liliana: I agree. Once I left the possible, impossible, and unexpected fears behind, the community spirit filled me with wonder.
@Cecil & @Monica: Looking forward to your visit and yes, hoping for the next miracle of sane Naples traffic… but I must admit, I’m a doubting Thomas on that one. :)
Forget the chaos, we all have a lesson to learn from that incredible humanity that is the heart and soul of Naples.
Awesome church!I didn’t know about Santa Patrizia.
Barbara, grazie mille. Along with San Gregorio Armenio, ther’s Santa Chiara too — both offer miracles of green & quiet in the heart of the oldest & most densely populated city blocks in Europe.
Forgive me, but I want to add that my Naples novel EARTHQUAKE I.D. includes a good deal of meditation on the *ogetti votivi* of those chapels.
Oh, & who would drive to these churches? You walk, of course. Complimenti ancora, John
Santa Patrizia? Thanks for the new revelation, Barbara – as this gives me another reason to return to Naples (though i never seem to need an excuse….!)
Grazie mille.
Splendid piece of prose, Barbara, on our favourite Italian city. Complimenti!
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