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The 'miraculous' chair of Naples

It's in the residential area of Chiaia, precisely in largo Sant'Orsola, that you'll find the "extraordinary" seat which belonged to Doctor Giuseppe Moscati, the Saint physician, who was beatified by Pope Paul VI and canonised by Pope John Paul II in 1987.

Countess Elena Caracciolo di Torchiarolo was the generous donor of this chair to the Church, which is also known as Sant'Orsola a Chiaia or Sant'Orsola dei Mercedari Spagnoli (St Ursula of the Spanish Mercedarians). A plaque placed on the upper part of the chair's backrest commemorates this gesture.


Few people know of the existence of this chair, yet countless are those who consider it "miraculous", so much so that they flock to it and entrust their prayers to this relic in moments of despair or hope, after sitting upon it, turning to the "doctor of the poor", as San Giuseppe Moscati was called for his innate inclination to care for others and for those most in need. On a wall beside the Saint's chair, there is a prayer that celebrates his deeds and invokes his intercession ("Concedici guarigione fisica e spirituale e, ancora una volta, sii colui che distribuisce i favori divini..." — "Grant us physical and spiritual healing and, once again, be the one who distributes divine favours..."). Access to the parish — and to the chair — is open and free for all.

Posted in: History and legends

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