As in every historical environment, the are some legends also about the paleochristian Basilica.
Among the most famous ones, we find the one related to Saint Gennaro. According to some beliefs, he would have suffered a martyrdom in a furnace, placed here in Cimitile, from where he would have come out alive.
The Saint Gennaro’s furnace was found in 1644 by Andrea Ferraro, nowadays it’s recognised in a side of the ex-oriental basilica. In that furnace, according to someone, many Christians would have suffered martyrdom.
Other news still not verified cancern the legend of “Tre Sante” Archelaide, Tecla and Susanna well known thanks to copies of manuscripts written between the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The story reports that the Tre Sante, since they wanted to escape from the persecution of the emperors Diocleziano and Massimiano, took refuge in a quarry here in Cimitile, remembered as “prison” and located under the basilica of San Felice.
The most popular legend nowdays is still the one regarding the blood of martys. It is said that a woman introduced a crown in a well located in the sanctuary and when she got it back, it came up full of blood. This crown by dripping ,created some grooves in the marble stone, which are still there. This stone is embedded in a wall structure which is attached to the southern wall of the chapel of the Santi Martiri. Another important legend regards the tomb of Saint Felice, who would have the power to expose the liars. These information is very old and Sant’ Agostino reported it in one of his writings.
The basilical complex of Cimitile currently includes seven buildings. The most important is the Basilica of Saint Felice, born after the deposition of Saint Felice. The grave was very simple and goes back to the III century a.C. When during the Empire it [...]
