Salerno, Italy, celebrates the Feast of St. Matthew on Sept. 21, observing centuries-old customs honouring the city’s patron saint. According to Italian newspaper Il Mattino, Archbishop Andrea Bellandi was scheduled to preside over a solemn Mass at Salerno Cathedral on Sept. 20. A procession carrying a reliquary containing the Apostle’s arm was to follow, leading to the crypt for the annual collection of a liquid known as the Manna of St. Matthew.
CENTURIES-OLD TRADITION UNITES FAITH AND DEVOTION
Moisture collects in two small basins beside the Evangelist’s tomb beneath the crypt’s altar. Although it results from natural condensation, the faithful have long regarded it as a contact relic associated with his remains. Cathedral parish priest Father Felice Moliterno described the manna as a tangible sign of the patron saint’s living presence among the people of Salerno.
According to Il Mattino, the ritual begins when the parish priest receives the keys from Archbishop Bellandi and opens the gates to the burial chamber. Once the manna is found, a bell announces its presence, prompting the congregation to sing the Te Deum in thanksgiving.
The moisture is then collected using a small tube, placed in a vial and presented to the prelate. The faithful, especially the sick and vulnerable, receive the manna and keep cotton soaked in it inside special medals as a sign of the Apostle’s closeness and protection.
Historical records document the practice as early as the second half of the 19th century, although its origins may date back much further. Archbishop Alfano I oversaw the construction of the crypt, which was consecrated in 1081.
The city continues its patronal celebrations on Sept. 21 with solemn religious observances and a procession through its streets.
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