EXTRAORDINARY, IF TRUE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1919, 20 July 1889, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY, IF TRUE.

A special correspondent of the Liverpool Catholic Times, May 17, writes: This wonderful event (the liquefaction of the blood of St. Januarius) takes place three different times each year. One of these occasions is the Saturday before the first Sunday in May, when the blood of the holy martyr is carried in procession from the cathedral dedicated to his honour to the church of St. Clare. This processioD, which passes through the principal streets of Naples, is the most gorgeous religious ceremony that can be witnessed in the world. Fifty life-sized busts, representing so many illustrious saints, are carried on men's shoulders to the church in which the miracle is to take place. These busts are of solid silver glittering with precious stones. The Cardinal is carried in the rear under a canopy, holding in his hands a vessel in the shape of a remonstrance, which encloses the phial containing some of the Martyr's blood. On the last occasion the procession left the Cathedral at four o'clock in the afternoon, and at 6 o'clock his Eminence Cardinal Sanfelice, Archbishop of Naples, deposited the vase containing the solid mass of blood of dark clay-like colour on the altar in the church of St. Clare. The prayers prescribed were recited by the Cardinal, and responded to by all present. His Eminence then

showed the vase, which is circular, and about the size of an ordinary watch, to the paople, when it was seen that no change had as yet taken place. The " Miserere " was then recited, and some of the other prayers repeated. At seven o'clock the vase was again presented to the people's view, and this time, to the delight of all, it was seen that although the mass was still solid it had assumed the natural color of blood. A medical doctor who stood at the right ©f his Eminence saw distinctly some drops of blood falling into the neck of the phial, which was turned downwards. Immediately afterwards the whole mass was changed into liquid like the blood that courses in our veins. It bubbled up and filled in every part the vessel in Which it was contained. The organ pealed forth in joyous strains, and exclamations of delight went up from the thousands present, amongst whom were some who are still able to trace relationship with the saint. Around the altar were educated men of every shade of opinion, who saw distinctly everything that took place, and all left the Church of St. Clare convinced that they had witnessed a great miaacle. In the little town of Pozzuoli, outside Naples, where St. Januarius was martyred, there can still be seen a few traces of his blood on a stone that is guarded with zealous care. This blood also liquefies at the same moment that the miracle takes place in Naples. Regarding the above as most extraordinary we have consulted the G ! obe Encyclopaedia, which gives the following with regard to the Saint:— " Januarius, St. (San Gennare), Bishop of Beneventum in Campania, was beheaded under the Emperor Diocletian about the beginning of the 4th {c. His body was brought to Naples by Bishop St. Severus, in the time of Constantino, and deposited in the cathedral, which is dedicated to St. J., the patron saint of Naples. His head, with two phials (ampulla) said to contain his blood, is preserved in a separate chapel, and it is affirmed that the blood usually becomes liquid when brought near the head. The relics are exhibited thrice yearly—on the 19th September (anniversary of his death), the first Sunday in May, and the 16th December, and these are the greatest festivals of Naples."