San Gennaro : the story and cult of the Neapolitan icon.

When you come to Napoli, the face of San Gennaro (after Maradona) is everywhere, in graffiti, statues, posters and banners.  

Saint Gennaro (Saint January) is the patron saint and protector of Napoli and Neapolitans have a very deep love and affection for him. 

We celebrate the feast day of Saint Gennaro every year on September 19th. 

The origin of the name Gennaro, which is very popular in Napoli, comes from the latin Ianuarius, which means “consecrated to the god Janus” and often referred to children born in the month of January. 

Street art inspired by San Gennaro. This graffiti by the street artist Jorit is in the Forcella area, not far from the Cathedral.

Portrait of San Gennaro in San Lorenzo church.

The history of the devotion towards this Saint is shrouded in mystery. We don’t know much about him, but what we do know is that he was a bishop and a martyr, possibly born in Napoli or Benevento around 272 and died in Pozzuoli in 305. 

According to the legend San Gennaro was bishop of Napoli and was arrested in Pozzuoli during the last persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire, where he was protecting his fellow christians.

There are differing stories of his death. One version was that he was captured and torn to pieces by lions.  Another was that he was tortured but it had no effect, so he was thrown into a furnace from which he came out unharmed. Another version says that he was decapitated at the Solfatare crater.  Some of his remains were stored, and his blood kept in two ampules, which are now kept in the Duomo (Cathedral) of Napoli.

The cult of San Gennaro is a mixture of religion, tradition, faith and folklore. 

In 431, King Charles II Angiou of Naples ordered a very precious relic bust to be made by the finest french goldsmiths, in order to keep the skull and the two ampules of blood of the saint inside.

In 1305, San Gennaro’s bust was put on public display, to be venerated by the Neapolitans. King Charles’ son Robert, further ordered another handheld case to be made, just to keep the two ampules of blood inside. It had a glass window at the centre so you can see the ampules of blood and that is how we see it today. 

The fame of Saint Gennaro is related to the miracles made by the liquefaction of his blood. According to old documents, during the famine of 1389, there was the very first miracle of the liquefaction of his blood, which coincided with the ending of the famine.

Between 1526 and 1529 there was a terrible plague in the city so the Neapolitans made a vow to build a Chapel in his honour so that he might protect them.

One of his most famous miracles performed was that during a procession with his statue Vesuvius erupted but the lava miraculously didn’t touch the city. 

Neapolitans then built the San Gennaro chapel in the Duomo of Napoli, which was consecrated in 1646. It is richly decorated with marble, gold and silver, as well as with busts and paintings illustrating the life and legends of the saint, created by many artists of the Neapolitan Renaissance and Baroque with sculptures by Cosimo Fanzgo, frescoes by Domenichino and paintings by Jusepe de Ribera. Around the Chapel there are almost 50 sculptures and statues of San Gennaro and other co-patron saints made by many prestigious European goldsmiths.

At the top of the entrance there is a sign in latin, which reads ”To san Gennaro, citizen and protector from wars, plague, hunger, and the fire of the Vesuvius, in virtue of your miraculous blood”.

The altar of the San Gennaro Chapel in the Cathedral of Napoli.

On the central altar, the handheld case where the two ampules with San Gennaro’s blood are kept.

On the right altar, the Spanish painter Jusepe de Ribera with the story of Saint Januarius Emerges Unscathed from the Furnace, 1646.

On the opposite altar, painting by Domenichino, 1641.

The frescoes of the dome are painted by Domenichino in 1641. and then completed it by Giovanni Lanfranco in the Paradise scene at the centre in 1643.

The miracle of the liquefaction of his blood happens three times a year: on the first Saturday of May, September 19th and December 16th. 

The ceremony of the miracle is held in the Duomo (Cathedral) by the Bishop of Napoli and it is a very important event for the Neapolitans in a spiritual and a social way. The relics and the container with the blood are stored in the Chapel of the Treasure of San Gennaro.  The bishop takes the container and a crowd gathers around to see if the dried blood contained inside liquifies. It doesn’t always happen but if it does, it’s a good sign for the city, especially it means the Napoli football team might win the league or the champions league!

If you want to attend the spectacle just make sure to get there very early in the morning as it gets very crowded very quickly. 

San Gennaro obelisk (guglia) in Piazza Riario Sforza.

Small shrine to Saint Gennaro.

Two characters in the Neapolitan culture: San Gennaro and Caravaggio. The graffiti is by Roxy in The Box in piazza Riario Sforza.

The old gate of the city dedicated to San Gennaro in via Foria, on the border of the old town.

Many scientists have tried to study the miracle, analysing the dried blood to see if it loses viscosity by movement, shock or vibrations, like for instance the way tomato ketchup, which when poured starts off as solid and then becomes liquid.

Of course,  it’s all about your personal beliefs. For those who believe it is very profound and moving event. For others it’s just a tourist attraction. 

Near the Duomo (Cathedral), it is also possible to access the Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro. Here you can find the astonishing treasure collection of Saint Gennaro which includes hats and necklaces decorated in gold and precious stones, donated over the centuries by Kings, Popes, Emperors, famous noblemen and normal people. The collection is believed to be more valuable than the British Royal family’s collection.

You can also visit San Gennaro’s catacombs, the underground necropolis under the Incoronata church in Capodimonte. This is believed to be the place where the Saint was buried and it has become a place of pilgrimage over the centuries.

To know more about the catacombs and to book your visit click here on the San Gennaro Catacombs official website. 

Art crafts inspired by the imagine of San Gennaro very popular in the Neapolitan shops.

You can see how much Neapolitans are devoted to San Gennaro, he is everywhere. He is one of the most recognisable icons of Napoli, along with Vesuvius, Maradona and Pulcinella. 

“San Gennaro pensaci tu” (lit. “San Gennaro, take care of it”) whenever you have a problem, a pain, even if you want the winning numbers for the lotto, San Gennaro can help you.  It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not, Saint Gennaro will always be there to be a comfort, and a hope for those who ask for help. 

The cult of San Gennaro’s is also celebrated worldwide among the Neapolitan diaspora. In fact one of the most important is in New York.

Despite wars, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and pandemics Neapolitans always feel protected by San Gennaro. Always and for ever.

And who knows maybe he ’s got something to do with the Napoli football team winning their 4th scudetto in 2025!

You can visit my page to know more about the history of the Duomo Cathedral of Napoli.

Official website: Cappella di San Gennaro.

To book your tickets for the Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro 

Via Duomo 147 -  80138 Napoli

Tel.: +39 081 449 097 / Museum:  +39 081 294 980  info: info@tesorosangennaro.it

Email: booking@cappellasangennaro.it

Cathedral - Free entry. You need tickets for the San Gennaro Chapel and the Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro.

The San Gennaro Chapel is free every first Sunday of the Month.

Opening hours: 

Cathedral:  Mon - Sat 08.30 - 13.30 /  14.30 - 19.30 / Sun 08.00 - 13.00 / 16.30 - 19.30

San Gennaro Chapel: Mon. & Sat. 09.30 –13.00 (last admission 12.30) / 15.00–18.00 (last admission 17.30)
                                     Tues. - Fri.: 09.30–13.00 / 14.30–18.00 (last admission 17.30)
                                     Sunday: 09.00–13.00 (last admission 12.30) / 16.30–18.00 (last admission 17.30)

Museum:  Every day 9.30 - 18.00 (last admission 17.00).

Nearest metro station:  Linea 1 - DUOMO or MUSEO.

National Archeological Museum.

The National Archeological Museum is one of the most important museums of classical archeology in the world and it is absolutely a MUST SEE when you are in Napoli.

The building was originally constructed as a calvary barracks and then was used to house a university, before it was finally turned into a museum.  Over the centuries it has had many alterations for the purpose of housing its immense collection.

In the mid 18th Century, King Charles of Bourbon made available to the public his collection of antiquities inherited from his mother, 'the Farnese collection', which consisted of many amazing statues from Roman and Greek Antiquity.  The king himself was a collector of fine archeological treasures, especially from the nearby buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  He promoted the excavations of the two cities which were covered up by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79AD.  From these, he gained a large number of marble and bronze sculptures, inscriptions, mosaics, pottery, jewellery, wall paintings, and Roman knick-knacks of every kind.  This is the collection we still admire today.  

The model of Pompeii on the second floor, made in 1879.

A papyrus unrolled from the Villa dei Papyrus.

Nowadays, the museum is organised on four floors.  I personally  would suggest that you start from the top floor, which has the stunning collection of frescoes from Pompeii and Herculaneum, the hall of the Temple of Isis in Pompeii, and a model of the city of Pompeii before being destroyed by the eruption of Vesuvius.  

On the same floor in the western halls there are collections from the cities of Ancient Greece and also Etruscan and Roman cities, such as Pozzuoli, Capua, Baia, Miseno and Capri.  

In the others halls there is the history of Naples and the magnificent collection of the Villa dei Papiri in Herculaneum.  Discovered in 1750, this was a typical private villa. Very impressive is the high number and fine quality of the statues found in the villa, intense portraits of ordinary people, athletes, dancers, philosophers and gods.  I always find it incredible how detailed these statues are, their faces, their hands, and their hair.  They still seem to be alive to me.  

Also housed here is the reason of the villa's name, the spectacular collection of more than 1000 papyrus rolls from the villa's library which survived the eruption, despite the fragile material of the scrolls and the high temperature of the lava.  When first discovered many people through curiosity tried to unroll them in order to read them, but all were damaged.  Only thanks to the invention of a machine in 1754 was it possible to open the rolls and read many of the most important texts of Greek literature, which otherwise would of been lost. 

One of the statues of a dancer from the Villa dei Papiri.

A statue found in the Villa dei Papiri.

Philosophers and athletes from the Villa dei Papiri.

Athlete.

The intense and dramatic bust of Seneca.

Row of busts.

Pan and the goat from The Villa dei Papiri.

Fresco from the Secret Cabinet.

Continuing the journey down to the first floor is the reconstruction of the Casa del Fauno (house of the Faun) from Pompeii, which has the original pavements, columns, mosaics (including the famous Mosaic of Alexander) and all the original artefacts from the villa.  It is amazing that most of the features of the house still have all their splendid and vivid colours. 

From these rooms it is possible to enter into the Gabinetto Segreto (Secret Cabinet).  This is the collection of erotic artefacts and mosaics from Pompeii as well as a reconstruction of a typical brothel.  It is very interesting to see the Roman's take on sexuality. 

The original statue of the Faun from Pompeii, on the first floor.

The mosaic pavement of Alexander, from the House of the Faun in Pompeii.

Amazing colourful features from the House of the Faun.

Wall paintings.

On the ground floor, where the entrance to the museum is, you can visit the Giardino delle Camelie (Garden of Camellias) and the Giardino delle Fontane (Garden of Fountains).  Here is also the famous Farnese collection, which includes the gallery of Roman Emperors, Philosophers and mythological figures, like the giant Hercules at rest and the monumental Farnese Bull (both dated around the end 2nd/early 3rd century AD and discovered around 1545-46 in the Caracalla baths).  Continuing on your journey you will then come across the Gem rooms.

The giant Hercules at rest at the ground floor.

Detail of the Hercules at rest.

The Farnese collection on the ground floor.

The Farnese Bull, made from a single block of marble.

Statues from the Farnese collection.

To finish your visit, you will go down to the basement where you will find the Egyptian and Epigraphs collection.  To know more about it, check out my blog Egypt in Napoli. 

Museo Archeologico Nazionale 

Piazza Museo 19 - 80137 Napoli.

Tel: +39 06 39967 050           

Tickets: € 12 / Concessions € 6 / Evening entry € 2  - Promotions are applied to Trenitalia and Frecciarossa customers, see the website. 

Free entry every first Sunday of the month.

Opening hours:  09.00 - 19.30.  Closed Tuesdays.

Closed December 25th and January 1st.

The entrance of the museum

Caravaggio in Napoli.

When you look at Caravaggio's paintings you are also looking at Napoli. It is in the chiaroscuro, the contrast between the dramatic darkness and light, in the visceral depiction of bodies, dirty hands, expressive faces which are taken directly from the poor streets of Napoli.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (1571-1610) visited Napoli twice, in 1606 on the run from a murder charge in Rome and in 1610, just before his death on the way back to Rome.  Napoli was a part of the Spanish Empire at that time and the city was a vibrant cultural and economic centre due to its important port.  Many artists from all over Europe were attracted to the city by the commissions for the many churches and cathedrals.

In Napoli Caravaggio painted The Madonna of the Rosary (now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), The Flagellation of Christ (now at the Museo di Capodimonte, Napoli) and the stunning Seven Works of Mercy for the high altar of the Church of Pio Monte della Misericordia, which still stands today, together with the painting in its original position. This is definitely one of my favourite Caravaggio paintings.  The architecture of the church seems to be constructed around the painting in a silent devotion to the artist. Caravaggio gave to Napoli one of his most breathtaking masterpieces.  The painting is an image of the city where he tried to find comfort in a desperate time of his life.

Pio Monte della Misericordia was an institution founded by a group of noblemen dedicated exclusively to acts of human charity.  The word misericordia means mercy.  Caravaggio, portrayed in the painting the seven acts of physical mercy, which are; to bury the dead, visit the imprisoned, feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked, visit the sick and refresh the thirsty.

The scene is a revolutionary vision.  All the acts are taking place in a mysterious dark neapolitan vicolo (alley) in the lower part of the painting, whilst in the top part are two floating angels supporting the Madonna of Mercy with Child.

Caravaggio was very successful and famous in Napoli, however after a few months he decided to leave the city and ended up in Malta with the Knights of St John and then Sicily.  

He finally returned to Napoli in 1610 on the way to Rome, in order to receive forgiveness from the Pope for his misdeeds. This is when he  painted The Denial of Saint Peter, (now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York) and John the Baptist (now in Villa Borghese, Rome) and his last masterpiece Martyrdom of Saint Ursula, which has recently been attributed to him. This is the last dramatic painting of a unique artist.  From the dark background, figures emerge in a silent procession of human bodies, the Saint and villains all together.  Even Caravaggio himself participates in the scene, just behind Saint Ursula's head. The flesh is so pale in contrast with the black and the red of the clothes. 

For sure, Caravaggio understood Napoli and the neapolitans like no other painter and after him the artistic life in Napoli would never be the same.  He left behind a very prolific Caravaggesque movement with Neapolitan artists who kept alive his style, painting subjects that Caravaggio himself made popular.  Artists like Mattia Preti, Salvator Rosa, Joseph de Ribera and Battistello Caracciolo, who was considered to be one of his truest followers.

Running until 15th January 2017 at London's National Gallery is the exhibition Beyond Caravaggio.  It's worth visiting as there are many references to Napoli and Neapolitan artists which will make you understand better his his life and his connection with Napoli.

Where to see Caravaggio in Napoli: 

Pio Monte della Misericordia, via dei Tribunali, 253 - 80139 Napoli. Tel. +39 081 44 69 44 / Tickets: €7 / Reduced: €5

Opening hours:  Mon - Sat, 09.00 - 18.00 / Sun 09.00 - 14.30

Museum of Capodimonte, via Miano, 2 - 80131 Napoli. Tel. +39 081 74 99 154 / Email. mu-cap@beniculturali.it / Tickets: €8 / Reduced: €4

Opening hours:  Every day except Wednesdays, 08.30 - 19.30

Palazzo Zevallos Stigliano, via Toledo, 185 - 80132 Napoli. Tel. +39 800 454 229 / Email. info@palazzozevallos.com / Tickets: €5 / Reduced €3  

Opening hours:  Mon closed, Tue - Fri 10.00 - 18.00  / Sat - Sun 10.00 - 20.00