Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1874-06-06
TIE BLOOD OF ST. JANUARIUS.
The Miracle of Naples -waltiug for Gem
nnrO's BIO d 20 LinmtfN..

The Miracle of Naples WaitIug for Gen
narO's Bio ID 10 Liquefy..
San Gennaro (St. JanuarusJ is helC
to be the guardian saint Of Naples
The alleged miracle by which the blood
OF this holy person contained in {
closed phial or glass tube changes from
a solid to liqnid state, is well known
Admitted by special favor, with five ol
six others, into the sanctuary Of the ca
thedral, aud seated within few feet oi
the off ,iating priest, had an excel
lent opportunity to observe the ceremo
ny and its effect upon the assembled
thousands who came to await the result.
In the front rank of the audience,
some ten feet from us, were seated
twenty or thirty women, some very old,
the reputed descendants of the saint.
At their head, and evidently chief of
this favored corps, YVES a tall, mascu-
line woman, Of middle age-a very Meg
Merrilies in appearance, with flashing
eye and the bold port Of a popular
ringleader. Like most matrons in the
rank of small but well-to-do Neapolitan
shopkeepers, her fingers were well COW
cred with massive silver rings, and her
neck was adorned with a heavy chain
and other ornaments Of the same metal.
This Amazon seemed, for the nonce, to
have assumed the lead in the devotional
exercises of her neighbors.
These, when the priest first held up
the sacred phial with its clo!ted con
tents, were quiet and reverential ut
tered in low tones, but audible where
We sat, Holy Gennaro! Save, protect
rs Bless the city of Naples and keep
it from plaques and earthquakes and all
other ills Do this miracle, so We may
see that thy power and thy favor are
still with us. Blessed San Gennaro,
pray for us, and so oD.
After each installment of prayer there
was an interval OF some ten minutes
then the applications recommended,
patiently enough for an hour or more,
during which the still refractory blood
was, from time to time, displayed.
Then, gradually, the tone become quer-
ulous, and surplication changed to re-
monstrance. "How long, 0 holy man
of God ! how long Art thou resolved
to weary out our patience? Come
quickly! Hasten to show thy power p
then usually dropping back into the re-
irain, "Bleased San Gennaro pray for
us p
When nearly two hours had elapsed,
the patience of this Amazonian leader
evidently failed. 1t was a sultry day
toward the end Of May, the crowd was
lensely packed, and saw drops of per-
spiration standing on her swarthy fore
head,
"San Geunalo, she exclaimed, care
you going to keep us here, sweating in
this accursed crowd, all day long
Who's to attend to that little shop of
mine, wonder, while I'm gone? Do
you want it to be entered and robbed
You know can't afford to be away from
It all this time - Then, as if the thought
2rossed her that she had gone little too
'ar, " Blessed saint Holy Gennaro
Pray for lis"
Half an hour more elapsed, and still,
Is the yenerated relic was held oD high
before the congregation, the obdurate
blood remained uuliquefed. At the .
sight, our dame of the silver chain and
rings, unable longer to stand such
from her canonized ancestor.
broke forth. Pointing her long, lank
niger at the silver gilt burt of the
saint (Which had been brought from his
'hape aud set on a pedestal near u.s.,
s Fdccia giaHa e" she cried. Yellow
acct You It's past all bearing, Have
ION no mercy? Hurry mp Be about
t Come, set that blood ALLOWING in
iod's name, at once and let rs depart
Il peace"
Her face al ahame and the nervous
.gitation of her whole person, as she
ose to her feet and tossed her arms ex-
'itedly, attested the vehement reality of
Ter emotion. Had | been inclined to
augh, which | was not, | think any
uch exhibition Of leyity might have en-
my life, at the hands of that
multitude.
1t was some ten minutes after this Oh
urgation that the priest, stepping to the
time witha complacent smile
lighting up his face-showed themiracle
and the blood flowing freely
n the tube.
Then there went up from the assem-
lied thousands such a wild shout of ex-
lltation as one hears only in southern
lines ; and there only when fear and
woun1 nm IN highest mitch /
nd endured for hours, burst forth in
congratulations at last.
While all this was passing, the priest
Tho oficiated had very politely brought
o us, for ,xamination, the vessel con-
aiming the blood; affording us salts
actory evidence that it was at first CO.
gulated and that it had liquefed at
he close. -RObert Date OWen's Rem
niScences Of Naples.