San Gennaro was Bishop of Benevento, Italy, and died a martyr in 305 AD during a religious persecution spearheaded by Emperor Diocletian.
He signed his death warrant when he visited the deacons, Sosso and Proculo, and the laymen, Eutichete and Acuzio, in jail.
The Proconsul, Timothy, had Gennaro arrested. He was tortured without wavering in his resolution to remain loyal to Christ. He was thrown headlong into a furnace, but according to legend, he came through unscathed.
Furious, the agents beheaded him. His body and the severed head, still dripping blood, were gathered up by an elder who wrapped them reverently in a cloth. A Neapolitan woman collected the blood with a sponge and filled a phial with the precious liquid.
Related: 2023 Italian American Feast Day and Parade Guide
The body of San Gennaro is preserved in Naples, where he is honored as the city’s principal patron.
The Neapolitans pray to him for protection from fires, earthquakes, plagues, droughts and the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. In every emergency San Gennaro is their powerful champion and universal helper.
The Prodigy
His blood, which is normally solidified, liquefies twice a year around the first Sunday of May (the feast of the transfer of his relics), and on September 19 (the anniversary of his martyrdom).
The History of the Feast of San Gennaro, NYC
At the turn of the 20th century when Italian immigrants settled on the lower east side of Manhattan, each region lived on a different street. The Neapolitans settled on Mulberry Street.
In 1926, in keeping with their Neapolitan traditions, they decided to have a one-day block party for their patron saint and the protector of Naples, San Gennaro. The Feast continued year after year — something that has now and for decades become not only a famed New York tradition but a world renowned, 11-day event that stretches through several blocks of Lower Manhattan.
For generations this Feast has been an important part of the neighborhood, not only representing the Saint Himself but also representing our ancestors, our culture and our traditions.
Feast of San Gennaro
- Where: New York, NY
- When: Sept. 14-24
- Description:
- As New York City’s biggest, most famous, and longest running festival, it’s easy to see why this 11-day event is nicknamed the Feast of all Feasts. The Feast of San Gennaro will be held along Mulberry Street in lower Manhattan’s Little Italy neighborhood. Mulberry and the surrounding blocks served as the first home in America for hundreds of thousands of Italian immigrants.
- Expect this gala to live up to its nickname with scores of food vendors, live music, festivities and much more.
- Website: Click here
