Saint's Dried Blood Liquefies in Repeat of 'Miracle'

The dried blood of the Roman Catholic patron saint of Naples mysteriously turned to liquid Wednesday in a repeat of what residents consider a miracle and good omen, the local church said.

A small crowd at the cathedral in the southern Italian city cheered at the announcement, when city archbishop Crescenzio Sepe brought out a small reliquary with the two vials of San Gennaro's blood.

The phenomenon, which took place at the expected hour and was heralded as an auspicious sign for the debt-ridden country, has regularly occurred for centuries, drawing surprise and controversy.