7 Simple Science Activities Inspired by St. Januarius
It’s almost Fall! Pumpkins, scarecrows, and bales of hay can be seen popping up here and there. There are also so many awesome fall feasts and holy days. Today, I would like to introduce you to St. Januarius, and share 10 simple science experiments to complete in his honor.
Who was St. Januarius?
St. Januarius was born in Benevento, Italy, and later became the Bishop of Benevento. He lived in the 300s, during a bloody time of Christian persecutions under Diocletian. He was martyred, and his Feast Day is September 19th.
The Virtues of St. Januarius
St. Januarius was a faithful, courageous, and charitable Bishop. He lived during the time of the Diocletian Persecutions – an extremely dangerous time for Christians. Needless to say, it was not a popular time to be a Christian, and we can look to St. Januarius as a powerful example of faith, courage, and fortitude. In honor of St. Januarius, let us live our faith courageously, especially when it is not the popular choice.
During this time, St. Januarius bravely visited deacons imprisoned by the Romans. This lead to his capture, and the first attempt to murder him involved throwing him to wild beasts. When he miraculously survived (the beasts refused to attack him!), he was martyred by beheading.
St. Januarius is the patron against volcanic eruption, blood banks, and blood donors.
Ref: https://catholicsaints.info/saint-januarius-of-naples/
10 Simple Science Activities Inspired by St. Januarius
Classic Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcanoes
Since St. Januarius is the patron against volcano eruptions, I thought it would be fun to do some classic baking soda and vinegar volcanoes!
The idea is simple, and always amazes kids. When baking soda (a base) reacts with vinegar (an acid), a very visual and bubbly reaction occurs.
Here is a simple set up, as well as lots of information on volcanoes.
How Do Volcanoes Form?
Learn about plate tectonics and how volcanoes form.
Do you live near any active plates or by the infamous Ring of Fire?
Learn About Mt. Vesuvius
In 1631, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, but the people of Naples were left unharmed! This is attributed to St. Januarius’ intercession.
Tradition has it that on Dec. 16, 1631, the faithful of Naples carried the relics of their patron saint in a procession to prevent the eruption of Mount Vesuvius volcano from destroying the city. During the procession, the lava miraculously stopped. Since then, this event has been known as the “lay people’s miracle.”
Mt. Vesuvius is one of the most dangerous and active volcanoes in the world. It is infamously known for erupting and burying the city of Pompeii in 79BC.
Here is a nice early reader book to learn more about Pompeii.
The Miraculous Liquifying Blood of St. Januarius
Besides protecting the city of Naples from destruction, St. Januarius is known for leaving behind a special relic.
Two ampules of his blood are known for liquifying up to 3 times per year! This cannot be explained by any scientific means. It can happen on all 3 days or none. The blood can stay liquid for a few minutes up to a few days.
Here is a summary of this fascinating miracle that has been occurring for centuries.
Science Activities to Learn About Blood
In honor of St. Januarius’ miraculous liquifying blood, let’s learn some basics about this liquid that makes up 7-8% of our body by weight.
What is blood?
Learn about what blood is and what it is made of.
How does the heart pump blood?
Learn how the heart pumps blood with this simple demonstration using basic materials.
Fake Blood Recipe
St. Januarius would be an awesome saint to dress up as and learn about for All Saints Day! Why not try this fake blood recipe, and bring it along to your All Saints party to teach people about this amazing saint and the miracles attributed to him? Here is a simple fake blood recipe. Adult supervision is required.
St. Januarius, pray for us!
The many miracles attributed to St. Januarius are truly amazing and fascinating, but the virtues of this saint make him inspiring to me. He courageously served his flock as bishop during one the bloodiest times in history for Christians. I pray that I can always be as brave and courageous as St. Januarius in the face of danger and persecution! St. Januarius, pray for us!