Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
fy this, however, scientists would have to analyse the blood,
something the Church has effectively blocked by refusing per-
mission to open the phial.
And while many locals acknowledge the scientific line, the
fact remains that when the blood liquefies the city breathes a
sigh of relief. After all, when the miracle failed in 1944 Mt Ve-
suvius erupted, and when it failed to happen in 1980, a cata-
strophic earthquake hit the city the same year.
Mythical Hot-
spots
» Festa di San Gennaro
» Casa e Chiesa di Santa
Maria Francesca delle
Cinque Piaghe
» Cimitero delle Fontanelle
» Madonna del Carmine
» Complesso Museale di
Santa Maria delle Anime
del Purguatorio ad Arco
DEATH & THE CITY
Rattled by earthquakes and the odd volcanic eruption, it makes sense that the Neapolitans are a fatal-
istic lot. Indeed, the city's intense passion for life is only matched by its curious attachment to death.
Here, contemporary culture's death-defying delusions are constantly undermined, whether by death
notice-plastered walls, shrines dedicated to the dearly departed or edible treats with names like
tor-
rone dei morti
(nougat of the dead), the latter merrily gobbled on All Saints' Day. Carved skulls adorn
churches and cloisters, such as those adorning the Chiostro Grande (Great Cloister) inside the Certosa
di San Martino; a constant reminder of one's mortal status.
Beware the Evil Eye
The concept of luck plays a prominent role in the Neapolitan mindset. Curse-deterring
amulets are as plentiful as crucifix pendants and the same Neapolitan who makes the sign
of the cross when passing a church will make the sign of the horns (by extending their
thumb, index finger and little finger and shaking their hand to the ground) to keep the
mal'occhio
(evil eye) at bay.
A common belief throughout Italy, though
particularly strong in the country's south,
mal'occhio
refers to misfortune cast upon an
individual by a malevolent or envious person.
A knight who lay down on St Patrizia's tomb
was inexplicably cured of all his ills. Seized
by religious fervour, he opened her tomb and
