San Gennaro, the blood of the miracle of May 2023 melted

San Gennaro says yes: at 17.03 the blood of the “miracle of May” dissolved, as signaled by the bishop don Mimmo Battaglia by twirling the ampoule.

The May procession takes place in memory of the transfer of the Saint’s relics from the cemetery in the Marciano countryside, in the Fuorigrotta area, to the Capodimonte catacombs. It is also called ‘degli infrascati’, due to the custom of the participating clergy to protect themselves from the sun by covering their heads with crowns of flowers and the silver crown above the small throne on which the shrine with the blood of the Saint is placed is a memory of this. which bears in the center a huge emerald, a gift from the City, of Central American origin.

Battaglia, at 17, after going to the Treasury Chapel, welcomed by the prelate abbot, Monsignor Vincenzo De Gregorio and by the Deputation chaired by the mayor Gaetano Manfredi, opened the safe that holds the relics of the Martyr. The start of the procession will be preceded by a brief moment of prayer led by the archbishop. The processional procession will wind its way along via Duomo, continuing along via San Biagio dei Librai, piazza San Domenico Maggiore and via Benedetto Croce, up to the basilica of Santa Chiara. Along the way, accompanied by the fanfare of the carabinieri, the parish priests of the area crossed will honor the patron saint with the offering of incense and the ringing of the bells. In the Basilica of Santa Chiara, at 6.00 pm, the Eucharistic celebration presided over by the archbishop will begin and prayers will be raised for the prodigious liquefaction of the Saint’s blood. Throughout the following week, in the Treasury Chapel (except Saturdays and Sundays), the casket containing the ampoules of San Gennaro’s blood will be venerated every day.