It’s 8:00am on a Tuesday in the Duomo di Napoli, Italy.
The cathedral pulses with energy. It’s packed with the faithful searching for the best spot. Amid a cloud of sweaty arms, bellies, and backs, no one is uncomfortable or angry. Each person wears expectation, anticipation. We’re all here for a miracle.
September 19th, 305 A.D.
Gennaro, an early church bishop was sentenced to death by beheading. Legend says he faced a second death sentence by the Roman Empire only after surviving the first one. They felt beheading would be more precise.
After his death, a nurse, deeply moved, collected a vial of his blood. The relic was passed for centuries before reaching its resting place in the Duomo di Napoli.
Dried Blood is Miraculous?
Nearly 2000 years later, a procession and prayer begin. Cameras compete to capture the bishop at the altar. After a brief blessing, the miracle occurs: the dried blood liquifies before our eyes.
A cheer sweeps the crowd, and parades pour into the streets. Everyone you meet is well-wishing. Formerly unfriendly locals are transformed, like the blood, into friends.
The Conversation
A few hours later, I’m at a café. Watching the dispersing crowd, I begin a conversation with Jackamo, a native of Naples who has celebrated the liquefaction of San Gennaro’s blood for decades. I ask him, “What does it mean? Do you all pray to the blood or worship the blood?”
He told me
He said, “No, we don’t worship the blood or the saint. We only worship God. Relics are reminders of higher truths, physical stand-ins for heavenly expressions. The blood liquifying signifies prosperity and protection for Naples. Gennaro is responsible for Naples.”
It takes me a second to process. I ask:
I ask him, “How do you believe prosperity comes from liquification of blood? Isn’t that medieval?”
His response was simple:
“No,” he said, “We have faith.”
Thoughts on Faith
n modernity, faith is rancid to reason. When a person says “I have faith,” we hear:
“I have blind faith.”
We think trust means believing despite evidence. Blind faith or allegiance is a problem. It restrains thinking and lets others take advantage. There is a difference between faith and subjugation. But I digress…
“Faith is the confidence in what is hoped for and assurance about what we do not see.
Faith is the unseen foundation for all that is physical today.
Do you have a 401 (k) or a Roth IRA? Own stock in a company? Own United States Bonds? Take a look at the text on the bond investment. What does it say?
Backed by the full faith and credit of the US government.
Investments are based on faith.
You invest your money now, believing the future will improve. There’s no guarantee investment will rise, yet sometimes faith makes it happen.
Faith in a project draws money and begins building. Everything around us started with people’s faith.
When discussing the economy, it seems to have agency. There’s no physical market—just a fluid mix of beliefs about companies, industries, or products creating an idealized future. Magic happens when enough people believe in drinking water, electric vehicles, or space travel: dollars materialize, creating value. In an economy based on faith, we watch the stock market expectantly for something new. We hope for a miracle. We carry federal reserve notes, our own relics, reminders of metaphysical value with real presence.
Faith is the force that transforms hope into action and belief into reality. It shapes economies, relationships, and futures. What will you build with your faith?
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