The cardinal sat down due to illness during the performing of the ancient rites

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Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the current Archbishop of Naples, Italy, began to feel unwell, resulting in him sitting down during the perfroming of a world famousn 'miracle'. He collapsed during the performing of the "Miracle of San Gennaro", in Naples on Wednesday afternoon. His sudden change in health prompted clergymen to rush to his aide as he promptly sat down and became short of breath at atround 10.05am Italian time. There are no reports of serious illness or further treatment following Cardinal Sepe's mytserious bout of illness.

The Archbishop of Naples felt suddenly unwell while performing the

The white flag symbolises the liquefaction of St Januarius' blood

The rite of passage celebrates the moment that the parton saint of Naples' dried blood, kept under lock and key in a vile, liquifies. The 'miracle' ceremony last happened on May 5 of this year. The event is said to happen three times every year. The relic is extracted from the safe in the Royal Chapel of the Treasure. The dried blood of St Januarius, Patron of Naples and former bishop and martyr of the city, is said to turn to liquid and if it does not it is supposed to signal the start of a period of war, disease and famine.

Clergymen rushed to the cardinal's aide as he began to feel unewell