The staff of St Joseph, between miracles and popular devotion
In the heart of the historic centre of Naples, amidst the city’s alleyways that tell centuries-old stories, a relic is kept that has fascinated the faithful and intrigued visitors for centuries: the staff of St Joseph. It represents not only a symbol of faith and tradition, but also a deep link with the popular devotion that has always characterised Neapolitan culture.
The staff of St Joseph: a treasure of faith
The staff, which is now on display in the New Museum San Giuseppe dei Nudi, has long been an object of veneration. This museum, located in the eighteenth-century Palace of the Monumental Complex that also houses the Historical Archive and the Church, has taken up an important part of Neapolitan history. The spaces have been redesigned by Davide Vargas to offer visitors an immersive experience in the historical and religious tradition of Naples. The structure dates back to the Congregation of St Joseph of the Opera di Vestire i Nudi e Vergognosi, founded in 1740 by Francesco Cerio with the support of figures such as Domenico Orsini and Nicola Antonio Pirro Carafa.
The staff of St Joseph was inextricably linked to this congregation, which carried out a charitable mission: to dress the poor, especially the “naked and shameful” of the city. The feast of St Joseph, celebrated on 19 March, is a moment of great significance. It was on this feast day that the congregation distributed clothes to the needy, and even the Bourbon royal family, including King Charles and Queen Maria Carolina, participated in the event, donating clothes and other forms of assistance.
The story of how the relic arrived in Naples
The story of the staff of St Joseph is shrouded in mystery and legend. According to one of the most accredited versions, the stick arrived in Naples in 1712 thanks to Nicola Grimaldi, a famous Neapolitan singer. His fame and close ties to the English court enabled him to save one of his acquaintances, Richard Hampden, from a death sentence. To thank him, Hampden’s mother gave him a relic that had belonged to his family for centuries: the staff of St Joseph. This staff, according to tradition, had been brought to England by crusaders returning from the Holy Land and jealously preserved by their descendants.
In 1795, the relic was entrusted to the custody of the Congregation of St Joseph of the Naked, where it remained hidden from popular devotion for many years. It was only in 2019, thanks to the intervention of Superintendent de Flaviis, that the staff was exposed to the public, allowing many to admire it.
The staff: symbol of miracles and faith
The staff of St. Joseph is not just a physical object, but a symbol of devotion and faith that has spanned the centuries. The relic, which has never been restored and is in the same state in which it arrived in Naples in 1795, is shrouded in a kind of sacredness that fascinates anyone who approaches it. Rumours already circulated in the Middle Ages that it was linked to Joseph of Arimathea, claiming that it was he who brought it to England. The fact that it was made of a mysterious wood, perhaps from a rose tree, adds further fascination to the myth.
The traditions that link Naples to the feast of St Joseph
When the stick was displayed, a real religious and popular fervour took place. The city came alive, and the Neapolitan gastronomic tradition was intertwined with devotion. In particular, the fried zeppole, a typical dessert of St Joseph’s Day – 19 March, Father’s Day – became a symbol of this day. The tradition of preparing zeppole in honour of the saint, in fact, stems from these celebrations, in which the Neapolitan people, as a sign of gratitude and festivity, offered these delicious sweets in honour of the saint.
A bond that does not fade
Almost three centuries after its foundation, the Congregation of Saint Joseph continues to carry out its charitable work with pride and a strong sense of identity. Thus, the staff of St. Joseph is not just a religious object: it is a living testimony to the history of Naples, its people and its devotion, which, even today, finds expression in the charitable works and traditions handed down from generation to generation.
In conclusion, the staff of St. Joseph is not just a simple object of worship: it is a symbol of hope, of miracles, of bonds that transcend time and of a faith that, even over the centuries, continues to nourish the devotion of so many. Its history, which is intertwined with that of Naples, is a powerful reminder of the city’s spirituality and popular culture, where the sacred and the profane mingle in a continuous exchange that enriches and renews traditions every year.
A treasure chest of history and tradition
The historic centre of Naples is a veritable treasure chest of history, faith and tradition. Every corner of the city tells a legend, a cult or a story that has spanned the centuries. An extraordinary example is Napoli Sotterranea, a fascinating network of Greco-Roman tunnels and ancient cisterns that wind their way beneath the city. A journey underground that highlights how Naples is stratified, not only in its architecture, but also in the memory and traditions that have shaped its identity.