St. Januarius
(d. 305)
Little is known of the life of Januarius, and what follows is mostly derived from later Christian sources, such as the Acta Bononensia (BHL 4132, not earlier than 6th century) and the Acta Vaticana
(BHL 4115, 9th century), and from later-developing folk tradition. Now
we know that he was born in Benevento. The earliest extant mention of
him is contained in a 432 letter by Uranius, bishop of Nola, on the death of his mentor Saint Paulinus of Nola,where it is stated that the ghosts of Januarius and Saint Martin
appeared to Paulinus three days before the latter's death in 431. About
Januarius, the account says only that he was "bishop as well as martyr,
an illustrious member of the Neapolitan church" The Acta Bononensia says that "At Pozzuoli in Campania [is honored the
memory] of the holy martyrs Januarius, Bishop of Beneventum, Festus his deacon, and Desiderius lector, together with Sossius deacon of the church of Misenum, Proculus, deacon of Pozzuoli, Eutyches and Acutius, who after chains and imprisonment were beheaded under the Emperor Diocletian".
Legends about his life and death
According to various Christian legends, Januarius was allegedly born in Benevento to a rich patrician family that traced its descent to the Caudini tribe of the Samnites. At a young age of 15, he became local priest of his parish in Benevento, which at the time was relatively pagan. When Januarius was 20, he became Bishop of Naples and befriended Juliana of Nicomedia and Saint Sossius whom he met during his priestly studies. During the 1 1⁄2-year-long
persecution of Christians by Emperor Diocletian, he hid his fellow
Christians and prevented them from being caught. Unfortunately, while
visiting Sossius in jail, he too was arrested. He and his colleagues
were condemned to be thrown to wild bears in the Flavian Amphitheater at Pozzuoli, but the sentence was changed due to fear of public disturbances, and they were instead beheaded at the Solfatara crater near Pozzuoli Other legends state either that the wild beasts refused to eat them, or that he was thrown into a furnace but came
