Little is known about Januarius except that he was a bishop of Benevento (near Naples, Italy) and was probably martyred during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian around 305. According to legends about Januarius, he went to visit Christians who had been imprisoned. He was then arrested and condemned to death for being a Christian. Januarius and his companions were thrown to wild beasts in an amphitheater, but the wild animals refused to harm them. The Christians were beheaded instead, and the blood and body of Januarius were brought back to Naples. Januarius is regarded as the patron saint of Naples, and his protection is sought when there is the danger of volcanic eruption.
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Excerpted from Christ Our Life, by Sisters of Notre Dame of Chardon, Ohio
Image credit: Saint Janarius by Caravaggio, 1607. Public Domain via Wikimedia.