The Feast of Saint Januarius (Naples) 2025 in Italy

The Feast of Saint Januarius (La Festa di San Gennaro) is an annual public holiday in Naples, Italy on September 19. It honors the Catholic saint Januarius, or San Gennaro.

Is The Feast of Saint Januarius (Naples) a Public Holiday?

The Feast of Saint Januarius (Naples) is a public holiday. It is a day off for the general population, and schools and most businesses are closed.

What Do People Do?

Many devoted Catholics travel to the Doumo (cathedral) of Naples on September 19, where it is believed that the patron saint’s blood liquefies. People also travel to the cathedral to witness this “miracle of the blood” on December 16 and on the Saturday before the first Sunday of May.

Public Life

The Feast of Saint Januarius is a public holiday in Naples so many businesses and public offices are closed.

Background

St Januarius, or San Gennaro, was martyred during the persecutions of Diocletian around 305 CE. It is believed that Januarius was born in Benevento, northeast of Naples, in the 3rd century CE. He became the local priest of his parish at 15,  and then was appointed as the Bishop of Naples at 20. St Januarius is believed to have died while visiting Christians imprisoned in Rome.

While we diligently research and update our holiday dates, some of the information in the table above may be preliminary. If you find an error, please let us know.