Today is the Feast Day of the Great Ancestor of the Janaro Clan, the original Saint Januarius, fourth century bishop and martyr, and patron saint of Naples. Today the ancient relic of the vial of his “martyr’s blood” was presented for veneration at the cathedral in Naples by the current archbishop. Once again the blood liquified, as—according to a long historical tradition—it does almost every year on September 19. (Some Neapolitans fear that if the event doesn’t take place, the region will face calamities in the coming year... but I don’t know what the “record” is on such a correspondence, and in any case it’s not the point of this devotion.) The blood is ordinarily dry and solid in its container. I’m not one to be overly credulous about these things, but it’s notable that numerous scientific studies have been carried out, and none have been able to account for the phenomenon. For the people of Naples (including many generations of my own ancestors), the celebration of this day has brought joy and encouragement to trust in the love of Jesus for this particular ecclesial communion that dates back to late antiquity, and confidence in the ongoing solicitude of the saint who (1700 years ago) was its singularly outstanding pastor and witness to the Gospel.
This history, and the faith that pervades it, formed the lives of my family in the past, and was brought with my great grandfather and his brothers to the United States of America when they came to this “nation of immigrants” and settled in Boston and New York.
I don’t know if Saint Januarius/“San Gennaro” is actually our ancestor by kinship (like a Great Uncle X100) but distance in time renders it plausible. I’d like to imagine that he must, somehow, be related to us, what with the "Benevento" and "Naples" regional traditions and all... or there must be some connection, because "Janaro" (with the "J") is a variant in old Neapolitan dialect of "Januarius." Both of which are derived from the mythical Roman god "Janus," the "guardian of the gateways" and all places where people come in and go out (note that "January" is the first month, the end of one year and the beginning of another). Thus I hypothesize. In any case, according to Legend (and I should know, because I made up the legend) he is the patron saint of the Janaros. So, let’s celebrate!
SAN GENNARO, PRAY FOR US!!😊🎉
