Januarius, bishop and martyr – September 19th
St Januarius [Gennaro in Italian] (d. 305) (Relics: Naples, Italy)
First Class Relics
Duomo di Napoli
(Naples Cathedral)
Via Duomo 147
80138 Naples, Italy
*St Januarius is most well known for the liquefaction of his blood. This miracle occurs annually on September 19th, December 16th, and the first Saturday in May.
*The relics of St Januarius can be found in three different locations within this church. His blood, which is sealed in a reliquary, is placed upon the altar in the second chapel on the right side of the nave. This exquisite chapel also contains fifty-one silver busts, each depicting a different saint. They were donated to this church by various guilds and ecclesial institutions in the city. The bones of St Januarius are found in the confessio below the main sanctuary. These bones, which are visible, rest within a vase below the altar in this confessio. Finally, fragments of his skull rest within a bust placed within an upper room of the museum located next to this church.
