Posted on 09/22/2001 6:04:00 PM PDT by Cultural Jihad
Thursday September 20 7:22 AM ET
NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - Thousands of Neapolitans crammed into the city's cathedral Wednesday to witness the liquefaction of their patron saint's blood -- a good omen for Naples and the world, according to the faithful.
After an hour of prayer, Archbishop Michele Giordano held aloft the silver and glass vial purported to contain the dried blood of Saint Gennaro and thousands craned their necks to see if the blood had indeed liquefied.
The substance usually turns to liquid twice a year -- on September 19, the saint's feast day, and on the first Saturday in May. In the past, disaster has struck when the blood has remained dry.
``This is an important sign of hope not only for the city but also for the United States following the attacks,'' Antonio Bassolino, the head of the Campania region which includes Naples, declared after the ceremony.
``Like all Neapolitans, I hoped deeply that a good sign would come quickly. It is always a very emotional moment, but this year it was particularly so, given the difficult times for the city and international events,'' he said.
Naples was struck by flash floods last week which left two people dead and more than $150 million in damage.
The ceremony, which Neapolitans revere as a miracle, was also attended by the American consul to Naples, Clyde Bishop, who leant forward and kissed the vial after it was shown the blood had liquefied.
During the prayers, Archbishop Giordano called on Saint Gennaro for protection ``for America, Italy, and the whole world,'' and asked the congregation to think particularly of those Neapolitans who live in New York.
Some Neapolitans, traditionally very superstitious, fear disaster may strike the city if the blood of the fourth-century martyr does not turn to liquid.
Disaster has struck at least five times after the blood failed to liquefy, including in November 1980 when some 3,000 people died in a massive earthquake that struck southern Italy.
Scientists have confirmed the substance inside the closed vial is blood but cannot explain why it turns to liquid.
You're wrong. Miracles are very much part of Catholicsm. Ever heard of St. Bernadette? Her body is incorrupted to this day. She is lies in an glass coffin covered only in a thin layer of wax. Don't believe me? Try google.
The great majority of Roman Catholics feel VERY uncomfortable with this sort of mumbo-jumbo, which is really more akin to Santeria or Voudoun than Christianity.
How would you know? You have no clue what the majority of Catholics believe. I'll repeat myself--Would you like it if some smart mouth started ridiculing mormonism, when they hadn't a clue about which they speak? Feel free to disagree or question--but knock of your rudeness.
Correct. Everyone knows marshmallows, not green jello, are essential to Mormonism. Salt Lake City has the highest per capita consumption of marshmallows in the country. Three or four times above any other major metropolitan area. I was in Vegas when the Pepcon plant making ammonium perchlorate blew and took down the Kidd Marshmallow factory next door. The angst was palpable.
If the glory of God is as near as your next heart-beat, why this insane longing for symbolism in cheap parlor-tricks?
Miracles and signs have been a part of Christianity from the beginning. For example, the miracle that happened at Fatima, Portugal was witnessed by 70,000 people in the Cova da Iria. Our library of congress has copies of pictures taken that day.
How many times has the blood liquified?
After liquification, how many times has disaster occurred?
If it's more than five (the times disaster has occurred when the blood has not liquified), I don't see this event as a predictor of catastrophe or beneficence.
If the data is not available, I'm suspicious.
Snail's pace?
This event has been occurring yearly since 1389!
That's SIX HUNDRED YEARS!
Lourdes was approved as a place of miracles in less than twenty years.
I'll pray to St. Januarius and allow the Napalese to have their tradition.
I'm still suspicious.
Heck, they didn't even clear Joan of Arc's name for 400 years--be patient!
The church moves like that because it is such a sensitive issue. If the church hasn't decried it as a falsehood in all of these years, my guess is that it's safe to say that they are authentic, and would cause no harm for you to believe in the graces recieved from petitioning the good saint.
Both. I want to know how many times the vial is touched by human hands on Sept. 19.
I also want to know the statistical correlations.
I'm a believer in miracles, but only those that have been thoroughly investigated and affirmed by the Vatican.
I'd also be interested in the number of miracles claimed, ranked by country.
I would wager that Latin countries register more miracles than all others combined.
LOL.
Whatever...
Mind supplying the names of these "scientists"?
Oh well, superstition reigns. Recent events testify to the results.
Hank
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.