St. Januarius

St. Januarius (Italian: San Gennaro), Bishop of Benevento, was martyred at Pozzuoli near Naples around 305 during the Great Persecution under Diocletian. He is the principal patron of Naples. Two hermetically sealed ampoules said to contain his blood are kept in Naples Cathedral and are believed to liquify three times a year — on September 19, December 16, and the Saturday before the first Sunday of May. The first certain record of the liquefaction is from 1389. Patron of Naples and of blood banks; invoked against volcanic eruptions.