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frith the taper behind , and after the closest scrutiny I can assure your read- * ers , Mr . Editor , I could perceive not the slightest change in the state of the red substance within . A Neapolitan who was with me , and said he had never been before to see the miracle , examined it with the same attention as myself , and told me that to him also the substance appeared equally solid as before . I am far , however , from concluding that the supposed liquefaction
takes place only in the imaginations of the credulous , but only that on the present occasion it had either not taken place at all , or but in a very slight degree . If the substance contained in the phials be of a nature to be dissolved with warmth and repeated concussion , the whole is , I conceive , easily explained . During nearly three hours the box was turned over and over ,
and applied to the heated faces of the lazzaroni . They first kissed it , then had it placed against their foreheads , and then presented to the breast . The holding a lighted taper close to it may likewise aid the effect , which , however , was produced but imperfectly , ( if at all , ) owing to the heavy rains which had cooled the air for some days before . Such is my theory of the miracle of St . Januarius . What the substance in question can be , I must leave to the chemists to decide .
The belief in the reality of modem miracles appears to me to be the strongest hold which Popery has upon the minds of the Neapolitans . I have conversed with many respecting the principles of Protestantism , who have acknowledged that " God alone could never err ; and that the Pope , being a man , could not be incapable of error , that as the saints could do nothing for us of themselves , it was sufficient that we should address our prayers to God himself ; and that Protestants profess all the essentials of the Christian religion . " But when the miracles of modern times were spoken
of , I found that the belief of them was deeply rooted in their minds . Leo XII . seems to be fully aware of this advantage , and has distinguished his reign by the making of three new saints , and the blazoning abroad of their miracles , and those of others . A council is now holding at Rome for ascertaining the truth of miracles , and I translate the following from the Gazette of Florence , by which it will be seen that a miracle is moved , seconded , and carried unanimously , with as much ease as an unopposed road bill passes through its various readings in our House of Commons .
" Rome , 27 th Sept ., 1827 . —Amongst the various causes proposed on Saturday , the 22 d inst ., to the Congregation of Sacred Rites , assembled in the Apostolical Palace of the Vatican , the cause of the blessed Alfonso Maria de Liguori was taken into consideration . He was founder of the Congregation o ^ the Holy Redeemer , and formerly Bishop of St . Agata dei Goti " ( which is near Sorrento in the kingdom of Naples ) . " His Eminence the Cardinal Odescalchi , who is the am ' rmer in this cause , referred to the
consideration of the congregation the validity of the tradition of the miracles wrought by God , after the beatification of the said hero , in order to proceed in the matter of his canonization ; and in consequence an affirmative decree was recorded . Then followed the relation of another cause respecting the confirmation of the worship from time immemorial paid to the blessed
Jolarte , widow , and afterwards Religieuse of the order of St . Chiara , and born in the year 1235 , daughter of Bela IV ., King of Hungary , and of Maria , daughter of Alexius , Emperor of the Greeks . The said congregation made an affirmative decree , and the worship of the said Saint is confirmed . An affirmative was also recorded in the cause of the Virgin Panazeria . 1 fhe Cardinal della Somaglia also brought up an account of the holy
Untitled Article
Narrative of a Residence of Four Months at Naples . 221
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), April 2, 1828, page 221, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2559/page/5/
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