San Gennaro Martyrdom
by egicom05
"... St. Gennaro would not have existed without Naples and Naples could not survive without St. Gennaro. The history of St. Gennaro starts with Naples’history... "So Alexander Dumas told about the bond that exists between our town and its Protector. He descended from the noble family Gens Januaria. So,Gennaro was the surname and according to not official sources,Procolo the name. The story that involved Gennaro,happened in the first half of the III° century;during that epoch he was Benevento’s bishop. In 303,when the famous Diocleziano’s edict was banished against the Christians,he went to Miseno to participate to a liturgy. In that time,Sossio was Miseno’s deacon,that was arrested by Dragonzio,antichristian judge,taking advantage of the rage diocleziana persecution. Gennaro,his deacon Festo and the reader Desiderio heard the duty to make visit to the friend to bring him some comfort. Dragonzio took advantage of the occasion to arrest the three with the accusation of forced adoration of the idols to the pagan altars condemning them to be devoured by the beasts in Pozzuoli’s amphitheater.The rebellion of the Christian community exploded,it got only the conversion of the punishment:decapitation,that was executed in the Hole of Volcano near the Solfatara of Pozzuoli in 305. To performed sentence,some Christians charged themselves to bury the martyrs and to preserve some their blood. According to the tradition,Gennaro’s blood was guarded by its nurse in 2 cruets,while the body was buried in Marciano near the places where the execution happened. His mortal remains underwent numerous translations,up to the actual setup in the Cathedral in Naples in 1492. The first certain news of the miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of St. Gennaro goes up to 17 August of 1389; they tell that blood was liquefied as if it had gushed out that same day from the body of the saint.
[Egicom05 by Sun City]
Driving
by maybetara
Driving in Naples is really not as bad as many visitors and non-Napolitan Italians make it out to be. I was warned about the traffic jams, the cobblestoned roads, the narrow alleys, lack of parking, careless pedestrian and motorist behaviour, and generous honking. But Jams occur mostly during peak hours in the mornings and evenigns and during weekends, and in general, while Napolitans tend to drive recklessly, they seem to be quick on the reflex. Also, Napolitans love to tailgate.
Duomo San Gennaro
by myriam_c
The Duomo San Gennaro has been built in the 13th century in French-Gothic style.
In the 19th century the facade has been remodeled in the same style as the duomos in Orvieto and Siena.
The crypt underneath the church holds the bones of St. Januarius, the patron saint of the church.
Via the left side of the church you enter the S. Restituta, a basilica from the 5th century.
Via the right side of the church you enter the Capella S. Gennora from the 17th century that holds the scull of St. Januarius and two ampoules with his blood, that becomes fluid every year on certain dates.
Bay of Naples: Starting point for many things!
by wilocrek
Visiting Naples harbor is a worthwhile on many different levels. For the views of the city and the sea with Mt. Vesuvius as a backdrop is fantastic and of the harbor is a starting point towards many different places. From the harbor you can catch ferries and hydrofoils to Capri, Sorrento and with a transfer, Positano among other places!
The most popular attractions...
by oneonta_ni
The most popular attractions in Naples are actually outside of the city. Most people head to the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Herculaneum. I wanted to see Herculaneum because I had heard the buildings are nicer but we took the easy route and went to Pompeii. There was a train strike on the Circumvesuviana trains and we weren't sure how to get to Herculaneum otherwise. Pompeii is easily reached on the normal train.
I am sure most people know that Pompeii is the town which was covered in a pyroclastic flow when Mt Vesuvius erupted in 79AD. The site is huge and is mainly made up of ruined houses but there are some really interesting things to see. I wasn't sure how much I would like it but I really enjoyed it.
Be sure to wear flat comfortable shoes. The streets are unevenly paved and can be difficult to walk on. Also bring water and take frequent breaks - there is a lot to see. We spent about 5 hours wandering around and still did not see it all.
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Interior of Basilica di San Paolo Maggiore
International Intentions in Italy
Santa Chiara Church (Naples, Italy)
Via della Cavallerizza (Naples, Italy)
