A Miracle of St Cajetan during the great plague of 1656

St Cajetan curing plague victims, 17th century print

This miracle obtained through the intercession of St Cajetan, was reported and sworn to in written testimony by the governor of the biggest hospital in Naples, Don Filippo di Dura, at the time of the great plague there in 1656.

"In the months of June and July we had more than 7,000 sick in the hospital with many more arriving at all hours. During these months the daily mortality rate was between 600-700 people and deprived of all aid in the midst of such a pestilence, we turned to God and Beato Gaetano (he was yet to be canonised) as our only hope of help, and as his feast grew nearer the mortality rates started dropping sharply.

In the morning of the 7th of August, we celebrated the feast of Beato Gaetano with a Mass accompanied by music and a general confession and communion and on that day not one death was reported whereas before many hundreds had perished daily. After this the plague receded and the city was soon liberated from its terrible grip."

The same miracle was reported from the Loreto hospital in Naples where similarly not one person died from plague on the feast of St Cajetan, and the whole area was soon after free of contagion.

An 18th century Italian print of the death of St Cajetan

The Holy Death Of St Cajetan

The authorities at Naples, civil as well as ecclesiastical, had resolved to institute the Inquisition in the city, to guard the faithful more thoroughly against heresy. The people were, however, opposed to it to such an extent, that a revolt was feared, and neither the exhortations and persuasions of St. Cajetan nor of other men were of any avail. The holy man was deeply distressed at the danger posed to so great a city and still more to so many souls. Hence he offered his life as a sacrifice to appease the wrath of the Almighty, praying that God would accept of it, restore peace, and spare the city and its inhabitants. The following event will show how pleased the Almighty was with this sacrifice. Soon after the Saint had offered himself to Heaven, he became dangerously sick, and repeating his offer, died a most peaceful and holy death, having had the privilege of seeing Christ and the Blessed Virgin. The Saviour assured him of his salvation, the Divine Mother of her protection until his death. And yet he would not die in any other manner than as a penitent; for when the physician said he needed a more comfortable bed, he protested most emphatically against it, saying that he would not, in his last hour, allow his body any comfort, but that he would be laid in his penitential robes upon ashes on the ground, adding: "There is no road leading to Heaven but that of innocence or repentance. He who has departed from the first, must take the second; else he is eternally lost." 

He received the last Sacraments with great devotion, turned his eyes towards Heaven, and rendered up his soul tranquilly to God, in the year of our Lord 1547. The strife in the city soon after ceased and peace was restored, as if God had wished to show that He had accepted the life of St. Cajetan as a peace offering for the salvation of innumerable souls. 

A Neapolitan Monument to St Cajetan

The famous Neapolitan statue of St Cajetan which stands
in the square named after him (Piazza S Gaetano), in front of
the church of S Paulo Maggiore where his body rests.

Close up of the statue of St Cajetan

This famous Neapolitan monument to St Cajetan was built in the 1660s, and was commissioned by the Theatine Fathers of the church of S. Paulo Maggiore in front of which it stands, as a thanksgiving offering for St Cajetan's intercession during a terrible outbreak of plague in Naples which occured in 1656, and from which the city was miraculously delivered.