Pope Francis 'Miracle' Sees Blood Of Patron Saint Januarius Half Liquify During Naples Visit | HuffPost

People Are Claiming Pope Francis Just Performed A Miracle

The Huffington Post UK

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The blood of a Patron Saint killed in 305 AD partially liquified in the presence of Pope Francis on Saturday, with some claiming it a sign of a "half-miracle".

The normally-solid relic was kissed by his holiness during a visit to Naples.

Crescenzio Sepe, the city's Archbishop, said: "The blood has half liquified, which shows that Saint Januarius loves our pope and Naples."

The Pope kissing the relic

But Pope Francis appeared to play down the event by saying: "The bishop just announced that the blood half-liquified. We can see the saint only half loves us.

"We must all spread the word, so that he loves us more!"

The blood is said to be that of Roman bishop, Januarius, who was decapitated in 305 AD during emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christians.

Thousands of faithful attend special services three times a year in Naples where the blood is said to liquify. Some even claim the volume of the blood increases during these services.

Story continues after the slideshow...

Pope Francis

Italy Pope(01 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. In background at left is the Vesuvio volcano. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(02 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he leaves after a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(03 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Roberta Basile) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(04 of20)

Pope Francis leaves at the end of his meeting with youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(05 of20)

Pope Francis leaves at the end of his meeting with youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. In background is Castel dell'Ovo, the oldest standing fortification in Naples (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(06 of20)

Pope Francis gives the thumbs up as he meets youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(07 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Roberta Basile) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(08 of20)

Pope Francis gestures as he meets youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(09 of20)

Pope Francis gestures as he meets youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(10 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Roberta Basile) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(11 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Roberta Basile) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(12 of20)

Pope Francis is helped to wear an helmet as he meets youths in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Pope Francis made an impassioned defense of the unemployed during a speech to people in the poor Neapolitan neighborhood of Scampia Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(13 of20)

Pope Francis waves to faithful as he arrives for a meeting with young people in Naples, Italy, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Salvatore Laporta) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(14 of20)

Pope Francis talks with nuns during a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(15 of20)

Nuns listen to Pope Francis as he meets with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(16 of20)

Pope Francis is surrounded by nuns during a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

APTOPIX Italy Pope(17 of20)

Naples' Archbishop Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe looks at the relic believed to be the blood of San Gennaro, the patron of Naples, just after Pope Francis held and kissed it, repeating the phenomenon of liquefaction of the blood, during a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. The blood partially liquefied and Francis said that that was the the saint's way to say: "we need to convert ourselves more" because the blood only partially dissolved. Neapolitans recalled that the blood didn't dissolve during visits by the previous two popes, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(18 of20)

Pope Francis talks with a nun during a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(19 of20)

Pope Francis arrives for a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Italy Pope(20 of20)

Pope Francis holds a relic believed to be the blood of San Gennaro, the patron of Naples, just after he kissed it during a meeting with prelates in Naples' Cathedral, Saturday, March 21, 2015. Francis is on a one-day visit to Naples and Pompeii. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

The ceremonies are eagerly anticipated as it is said if it fails to turn into a fluid then a catastrophe will follow.

This occured in 1527 and 1528 and was followed by the plague. In 1559 famine came and in 1833 cholera ravaged Naples

During World War II the event was proceeded by bombing raids by Allied aircraft in 1944

Sceptics claim it is simply the motion of moving the normally-static ampoule containing the blood that turns it to liquid.

The transformation of the blood is not recognised by the church as being a miracle.

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