A Grazia

A GRAZIA: the cult of San Gennaro has always been rooted in the Neapolitan culture and it is still deeply felt today by the Neapolitans who have a constant and above all equal relationship with the saint: a constant dialogue, a confidential relationship like the one you’d have with a trusted friend. “San Gennaro, take care of it!” it is an invocation that is repeated in the face of personal and collective concerns, natural events and disasters. “San Gennaro, you know me, if you could grant me a grace”, says Massimo Troisi in one of his most famous sketches. Nino Manfredi invokes him in “Operazione San Gennaro” and the whole city prays to him, which sees in him a brother to ask in case of need. Whether you are a believer or not, three times a year the cathedral of Naples is filled with the faithful to attend the blood miracle.

The chosen dates are the first Saturday in May, 19 September, the saint's feast day, and 16 December, the "feast of the patronage of San Gennaro" in memory of the terrible eruption of Vesuvius in 1631, which he blocked.

His blood is exposed in front of thousands of citizens and faithful who wait (and hope) with bated breath for the blood to melt. What if it doesn't melt? The Neapolitans begin to tremble because it is an omen of great misfortunes and history teaches us this: in 1940 Italy took part in the Second World War; in 1943 the Nazis occupied the city, in 1980 the Irpinia earthquake… to name a few. And no, if you're wondering, in 2020 the blood didn't melt!