The blood of St. Januarius liquefied on September 19, the saint’s feast day, in a ceremony at the cathedral in Naples.

The liquefaction of the blood of the 4th-century martyr is regarded as an omen by the people of Naples: a sign of assurance that the year will be free from disasters. (One of the rare years in which the miracle did not occur was 1939, the year that saw the beginning of World War II.)