ITALY: St. Januarius

Kneeling thousands stared hard at two phials on the high altar in Naples' gothic Cathedral. The phials, people had been taught, contained dried blood of St. Januarius, patron saint of the city who died a martyr in the time of Diocletian (245-313). Last Saturday the hard, dark substance was due to turn to liquid, as it does the first Saturday of every May and every Sept. 19 if the outlook for Naples is good.

Throughout the long, tense afternoon the hymns and orisons followed one another in unbroken march. The tired voice of...

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