History of Saint Philomena
This young woman became known after the discovery of her tomb on May 24, 1802, in the city of Rome. Upon discovering the closed tomb, they found the remains of an unknown young woman who had been sacrificed, according to the symbols found in the tomb, indicating the different sacrifices that were applied to her. It was not until the year 1863 that it became known who the young martyr was.
This was achieved by three private revelations, obtained after praying fervently for many Christians to know who he was and why his sacrifice. These revelations managed to obtain the License of the Holy See considering that they are not contrary to the faith, likewise, it allowed them to be disclosed on December 21, 1883.
The people to whom the identity of the young Saint Philomena was revealed lived between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, these were a young artisan from Naples with an upright life and good customs, a priest learned in ecclesiastical oratory and a pious nun from Naples, the Reverend Mother María Luisa de Jesús, consecrated in soul and holiness to the work of God.
Discovery of the tomb of Saint Philomena
The history of Santa Filomena is surprising, the interest in this young martyr, between twelve or thirteen years old, originates from the moment that 1802, her tomb is found during excavations in Rome and the subsequent revelations of the stories of Santa Filomena that he did to three different people, who did not know each other and who lived in Italy in the XNUMXth century.
These revelations coincided in the aspects that the Saint had revealed to them, although of the three revelations, the statements offered by the Reverend Mother María Luisa de Jesús, 1799-1875 were the detailed ones regarding the history of the saint, through the It became known its origin, the cause that originated its sacrifice at such a young age. Santa Filomena is called the sorceress of the XNUMXth century on a daily basis.
During the excavations in 1802 of the catacombs of Via Salaria in Rome, an ancient Roman cemetery. The workers who found the tomb of Saint Philomena discovered that it contained several elements that identified her as a Christian martyr, from the times when the first Christians were persecuted for believing in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
When the tomb was discovered in May 1802, it had some elements that indicated that it was a Christian martyr. What was interpreted by the Jesuit Father, Mariano Portenio, were symbols that alluded to virginity and murder by martyrdom. The phrase “(fi)lumena, pax tecum fi(at)” was inscribed on the tombstone, which when translated says “philomena peace be with you: so be it”, a phrase that used to be placed on the graves of martyrs.
In addition to this epigraph, on the tombstone there were also the symbols of a death through sacrifice, they are: an anchor that indicates that it had been thrown into deep water, some arrows or arrows and the drawing of a palm in the middle of the tombstone, which wants to mark the Christian triumph over evil.
The previous symbols were drawn with a whip, with lead spheres, used to provoke the martyrdom and death of the apprehended Christians, as well as a pair of arrows with directions from top to bottom, reminiscent of those that the Archangel Saint Gabriel returned in the Mount Gargano. Along with the above, they found the image of a lily, symbolism that indicates that he was a young chaste that triumphed over the desires of the flesh and its purity before the world.
Likewise, the symbols previously identified on the tombstone, objects were also found in the tomb of the Saint, such as a glass vessel that was broken in half, and still clean, bathed in traces of blood. That according to what they indicated that this body belonged to a holy martyr, as it was a tradition of the Christians of the first centuries, to collect the blood of the martyred Christians. This in memory of the blood shed by our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.
A striking fact related to the glass vase impregnated with the blood of Santa Filomena, is that when they try to detach it from the glass, to deposit it in another glass container, it maintains its dark color, but this changed when it was approached again. the urn changed into globular particles, which miraculously reflected different colors of the rainbow, especially gold, ruby red, silver and crystal like the purest diamond.
His bones were carefully placed in a small wooden box sealed with wax, and taken to Rome with the intention that they be preserved in General Custody, until the Pope decided when to give permission for them to be venerated by the faithful.
His remains were taken, first to Naples, with the protection of the priest Francisco de Lucía, to a bookstore, remaining there until they were transferred to the priest's parish church, in Mugnano, Naples metropolitan area in September 1805. When examining the remains of Santa Filomena, wounds were observed in her rib bones, her head had a cranial fissure and still had large parts of her teeth.
The relics of Saint Philomena
Between the years of 1802 to 1805, the remains of the young martyr Filomena remained in General Custody, then they were transferred to Mugnano, a city that remains in the Diocese of Naples. Next, the details of her transfer are narrated because of the importance of her details.
Father Francesco di Lucia, parish priest of the small town of Mugnano, wanted to increase the faith of the parishioners who at that time were very reluctant. For this reason, when he received the invitation to go to Rome as the companion of Father Cesareo, to be consecrated as Bishop, he accepted it with great pleasure. He went with the priest friend of his to Rome, with the intention of requesting in Rome, the relics of the well-known virgin martyr that help him increase the faith of the parishioners.
Once he arrived at the Holy See in Rome, he requested an audience to meet with the Guardian of the General Custody, Monsignor Ponzetti, who soon received him and listened carefully to Father Francesco's concern. Once he learned of the devout and humble priest's concern to seek to increase the faith of his parishioners, he let him know that there were thirteen relics in custody from which he could choose.
Monsignor Ponzetti invited him to go to the place where the thirteen relics were in custody. Father Don Francesco, was full of joy and investigated among the relics, noting that only three were known: one was of a boy, the second of a girl and the third of an adult. When the priest stood in front of the rest of Filomena, he suddenly felt very happy as if the little girl told him to take her and considered that she was the intermediary that she was looking for from her.
He let the Guardian Bishop know which relic he wanted to bring to his parish and he promised to deliver the selected relics. However, his joy did not last long, because the Bishop approached him to speak with him and informed him that since there were very few known martyrs, they were reserved for specific Churches or Dioceses.
This information disappointed him and together with the high ambient temperature in the city of Rome, in a short time Father Francesco became weak, losing sleep and appetite. He fell ill, and a priest friend to comfort him offers him the relics of an unknown martyr, in response the priest Francesco, lets him know that... it will be Filomena and no other... because only she can convert her parish to the Christian faith.
The relics of Saint Philomena want to go to Mugnano
Father Francesco during his illness suffered from a fever and, one night when he was burning with fever, he asked Filomena to heal him and solemnly promised that if his health improved, he would make her Patron of Mugnano. Almost immediately, the fever left him and he fell into a refreshing sleep. The next day he woke up in very good health.
Firm in keeping his word, he spoke with his friend Cesáreo, with whom he had traveled to Rome and who had just been consecrated Bishop, so that he would mediate for him to bring Filomena's relics to Murgano. When the now Bishop Caesarius agreed with Father Francesco that the young martyr apparently wanted to go to the city of Mugnano. She decided to intercede for Don Francesco's request and spoke with the Guardian Bishop, this time the Guardian agreed.
Overjoyed at the news that they were allowed to take Philomena's relics to Mugnano, the good Bishop Caesarius and Father Francesco took the precious casket with the intention of arriving soon with the saint in Naples. Amid prayers and obeisances, they decided that the casket would be carried in the front seat of the episcopal carriage. The martyr Philomena had given two indications of wanting to go to Mugnano.
By instructions of the Bishop, it had been arranged to place the chest with the relics in the front seat of the car, however, the driver without consulting arranged to place the chest tied under the Bishop's seat. When starting the trip, suddenly the boxes hit the Bishop, he angrily rebuked the driver objecting that the luggage was badly tied because it had moved forward hitting his legs.
The service arranged the luggage again, however, on two occasions the incident was repeated, so he asked the service what he had put under his seat. Immediately requesting that he take her out of it. When taking it out the Bishop realized that it was the small box with the relics, the man tried to move the relics back under the seat and it was difficult for him. So he asked him, do you know what that box is? It is the box of some relics. He had given instructions to place them carefully on the seat in front of him.
Once the chest was placed on the seat in front of them, the journey began and continued like a pilgrimage with Filomena in front of them. The Bishop, reflecting on what had happened along the way, realized that the blows were not from a box, but from Filomena, who had hit his legs. Therefore, he knelt in the carriage and humbly asked Filomena's forgiveness and kissed the chest.
The Miracles of Saint Philomena
During their transfer, they made a stop at the house of a wealthy publicist Antonio Terres, during the stay the relics stayed in the small chapel of the house. On that visit the first image of Santa Filomena was modeled, the image was a bit disappointing, because in one hand she held an artificial lilac and a shovel blade and in the other an arrow pointing to the girl's heart, they had built it in the manner Neapolitan with papier-mâché.
While they dressed her, the Terres house was flooded with a sweet aroma. In that house served a lady who had been sick for twelve years with an incurable disease and, before the ecclesiastical retinue set out again, Filomena healed the employee of the Terres. Arriving in Mugnano the suffocating heat of summer, changed from one moment to another with a refreshing rain, perhaps it was a greeting from Santa Filomena.
Arriving at the Holy Chapel of Our Lady of Grace, at the moment they entered with the relics, the first miracle that is registered in the register of that chapel took place. It happened that a lady of the nobility suffered from cancerous ulcers and she already had a date to amputate her leg, the day of the arrival of the Saint she was completely cured.
Another miracle that happened through the intercession of the Saint that day occurred at the moment the bells began to ring, indicating that the relics had entered the chapel. At that moment a paralyzed man named Angelo Bianchi was cured and, entering the chapel on his own feet, shouted that he had been cured when the bells began to ring, the other parishioners who attended the celebration, surprised, saw him walking.
The holy relics of Filomena were placed on the main altar of the chapel of Our Lady of Graces, so that they could be venerated by the parishioners. From then on, many miracles began to occur continuously. The parishioners considered that with the relics of Santa Filomena they had a prodigious protector, that she was taking consolation, healing and joy to all places. Divulging the veneration of her throughout the Catholic Christian Church.
Even the image made in the Terres house was transformed in its entirety, without the intervention of any person. Those who had seen it before were amazed at the changes in the image and, according to some travelers, even witnessed the image of Filomena opening and closing its eyes when they prayed before her image.
All this and other miracles made Santa Filomena a very popular mediator, all this impelled Bishop Cesare to send to all of Italy, dust from the bones of Santa Filomena. The Bishop was amazed by the fact that despite sending dust from the bones of the Saint throughout Italy, it did not end, on the contrary it increased.
The Bishop, amazed at this miracle, informed the Congregation of Rites in the Vatican, to prove it the Vatican also sent the powder from the bones of another saint. Observing that in the other saint, this one ended and quite the contrary, the dust of the bones of Saint Filomena increased. This miracle was witnessed by bishops and cardinals in the Vatican itself and was disclosed by the Congregation of Rites.
Filomena heals Paulina Jaricot
Saint Philomena has performed many miracles, and among these it is important to mention the miracle performed on the founder of the Pontifical Work for the Propagation of the Faith, the missionary Paulina Jaricot. She was born in Lyon in France in the year 1799. Her parents owned a silk factory, and she was the last of eight children.
As a young man he enjoyed society dances and the compliments of young people his age, for his attractiveness and elegance of his finely crafted dresses with rich fabrics. She was 17 years old, when she attended mass on the first Sunday of Lent, she was richly dressed, during the service the priest instructed on the "illusions of vanity" and she saw herself reflected in the priest's words.
This meant that she stopped dressing in luxurious clothes and her rich habits, she remained secular and very committed to church missions and helping the poor. Promoted in 1818, the donation of a weekly cent by the workers of Lyon for the missions, this gave the economic base of the missions of the nineteenth century, and founded the Association for the propagation of the Faith, at that time he wrote: " The Infinite Love of the Divine Eucharist”.
She was the promoter of the idea of the Living Rosary, in the year 1832, when some brothers of the Order of Saint John of God who collected donations for the poor suffering from mental illness and epilepsy were ill. They arrive at her parents' house requesting her collaboration, knowing her generosity. These brothers, learning of Paulina's serious illness, tell her to implore Santa Filomena, and Paulina soon recovers her health.
Pauline Pilgrim to Mugnano and Rome
After this, Paulina made a novena to Saint Philomena. Her health was restored, and she had already managed to walk a few steps and write. She relapsed. Believing she was going to die, she told her family she wanted to go to Mugnano. Gravely ill, Paulina, with the permission of her doctor, who had done everything medically possible, told her family to allow her to make the pilgrimage to Mugnano. He believed she would not make it. Paulina, lying in a chapel, began the pilgrimage, accompanied by a chaplain and a friend.
When she arrived at Paray-le Monial, she spent the whole day in the Chapel of the Visitation, Pauline was almost dying. This Visitation chapel was where Jesus told the secrets of his Sacred Heart to an obedient nun from that congregation. At the end of the pilgrimage, she told her fellow travelers that she wanted to go to Rome, because she wanted to receive the blessing of the Holy Father and the approval for the Living Rosary.
Between April and May 1835, the pilgrims arrived in Rome, with Paulina convalescing from a heart attack and burning with fever. They stayed at the Convent of the Sacred Heart, in Trinitá dei Monti. Knowing that she was in Rome, Pope Gregory XVI went to visit her knowing her physical condition and because of her heroic pilgrimage. Knowing her Christian faith, he went to visit her to grant her blessing and privately asked her to pray for him when he got to heaven.
Paulina replied yes to Pope Gregory XVI and told him that if she returned to Rome from Mugnano cured, the Holy Father would consider the cause of Saint Philomena. Believing she was dying, he replied that it would be a "first-class" miracle. Paulina and her companions arrived in Mugnano on August 8, 1835, just days before the feast of Saint Philomena.
Paulina Jaricot arrived very ill lying on her stretcher and with her companions, when the parishioners of Mugnano, saw them, they begged Saint Philomena for her healing. Paulina's intention was not to ask for her healing, but to request grace for her soul and for her apostolic associations.
Two days later, on her feast day, she performed the miracle of healing Paulina, after the effusive pleas of the parishioners who, believing that the saint was not listening to them, threatened to stop begging her and believe in her. The miracle happened when everyone had lost hope, Paulina realized that she was healed, but she felt so exhausted and moved by everything she had experienced that she did not dare to make any sign, for fear of the emotional reaction of triumph that it could arouse. in the religious assembly.
Father Francesco, already quite old and knowing how miraculous Saint Philomena is, wanted to see the missionary healed. The news reached many places, the holy girl had healed the French pilgrim. The bells rang for the joy of the miracle and the inhabitants of Mugnano were very happy, Paulina was full of strength, life and new youth. She was the center of the whirlpool of gratitude. When she returned to Rome, she asked permission to surprise the Holy Father.
When he saw her he thought it was an apparition... or actually the Holy Girl Martyr miraculously interceded for you. The Pope fulfilled his promise and gave Saint Philomena the title of "Patron of the Living Rosary", undertaken by Pauline Jaricot in France. Pope Gregory XVI, established on January 30, 1837 a feast as a distinction to Santa Filomena. Then, in 1862 by order of Pope Pius IX, she was crowned as: "Patron of the Children of Mary".
Revelations to the Reverend Mother María Luisa de Jesús
The revelations of Saint Philomena given to Mother Luisa de Jesus, begins by commenting “That she was the daughter of a Greek prince, her mother also of royalty, and that they lived in a small Principality in Greece that her father ruled. In view of her wanting to have children, she spent her time worshiping false gods, praying to them and offering sacrifices.
In the palace lived a doctor from Rome named Publius, who practiced the Christian religion. This doctor, who knew the desire of the royal couple to have children, spoke with the parents of Saint Philomena about the Christian faith following an impulse from the Holy Spirit and promised to pray for the royal couple, if they agreed to become Christians. The conviction and belief in the Christian faith with which Dr. Publio spoke to them opened their parents' minds and triumphed over his will. They became Christians and managed to have children.
At birth they gave her the name Lumena, referring to the light of faith that helped them bring their daughter into the world. Her parents loved her very much and baptized her with the name of Filumena, which she meant "Daughter of light" (filia luminis), the prefix Fi of filia, which means daughter and lumena, which means light. In gratitude that she that day she had been born to the faith. Her parents took her everywhere they went and, for this reason, she accompanied them to Rome. When her parents traveled forced by an unjust war.
At that time Filomena was thirteen years old, when she arrived in the city of Rome they went straight to the emperor's palace, requested an audience and they gave it to her. When Emperor Diocletian received them, when he saw Filomena of her, he immediately fixed his eyes on her. The prince had addressed the emperor requesting support for the war, the emperor heard all the information from the prince and to get out of the matter quickly, he makes a proposal to the prince:
He offers his help with the full force of the army of his empire, to fight the invaders of the principality. In exchange, he managed to have the hand of Filomena, the prince's daughter. The prince still surprised by the emperor's quick response of support and by the honor he did not expect from his daughter's request, he immediately agrees to the emperor's request. When they returned to her house, her parents spoke with the girl to make her understand the honor of the emperor's request.
His intention was that he yield to the wishes of the emperor and his own parents. In response, Filomena replied, do you want me to access the love of a man and break the promise I made to Jesus Christ? My virginity belongs to Him and I cannot break my promise to marry another man. In response to her, her parents told her that she was too young to make that kind of promise. She encouraged him to accept the emperor's request because otherwise it could go very badly for them.
Her faith in God made her invincible. However, her father was forced to take Filomena back to the presence of Emperor Diocletian, in order to break the promise in front of him. She commented that before traveling she had to endure new attacks from her parents, requesting on her knees and crying that they take pity on them and her country. Her position was maintained and she continued to answer that “No”, that her promise to God to preserve her virginity for him, was first, that her parents and her country. That her kingdom was heaven.
Filomena's refusal despaired her parents and they took her to the presence of the governor, so that he could make her change her mind. The emperor began offering promises to make her change her mind and, as she was adamant in her refusal, he began to threaten her, seeing that nothing could make Filomena accept the emperor's proposal. This was furious, and influenced by the demon he sent the girl Filomena to the prison of the palace.
Imprisoned in the prison of the palace, he hoped that Filomena would change his mind and she commented in her revelation,…“that they believed they were going to weaken the courage that my Divine husband had inspired in me”… His jailer went to see him every day and sent release his chains so that he could eat the piece of bread and water that they gave him for food, and then he would return to his attacks, which he resisted by the Grace of God. All the time she spent entrusting herself to Jesus and the Virgin Mary.
Filomena continued her story by saying that she was imprisoned for thirty-seven days, days before being released from prison she saw a heavenly light and in the midst of that light was the Virgin Mary with Jesus in her hands, in that appearance the virgin revealed to her: “That he had three days left in prison and that after forty days his ordeal would be over”, at first these words filled his heart with joy and when he thought about the words of the Virgin, his mood was discouraged.
For the words of the Virgin Mary had informed her that after her release from prison she would face an even worse battle than the ones she had previously endured. Thinking of the words of the Queen of Angels filled her heart with anguish, so strong was her fear that she thought she was going to die. To comfort her, Saint Philomena continued, the Virgin Mary said:
That it had value, reminded her that her name was baptized,… your name is “Lumena” and your husband is called Luz. Have confidence, I will help you, when the terrible combat is happening, divine grace will protect you and give you strength. The angel Gabriel will help you, the virgin told him that she would tell him to take care of her… those words of the Virgin Mary filled him with confidence and courage. When the virgin disappeared, her cell smelled of a heavenly perfume.
Days later, the virgin's words were fulfilled. Emperor Diocletian, stubborn about Filomena's refusal to fulfill the promise made by her father, made the decision to punish her in public. Starting by scourging her, the evil emperor had her undressed and tied to a column in front of a crowd of court men, ordering her to be severely whipped, which tore her skin, opening a large wound and her body. bathed in blood.
The tyrant emperor, believing that the violent girl was going to die, ordered her to be untied and taken to the cell. As told by Saint Philomena, already being in the dark cell, two angels appeared surrounded by a bright light, and they poured balm on the wounds on his body, he immediately felt stronger, even than before the torture.
The tyrant emperor was informed of the recovery of the young woman and then ordered her to be brought before his presence, seeing her in good health, he let her know his opinion on the matter, according to him it had been Jupiter because this star wanted her to be the empress from Rome. During her presence before the tyrant Diocletian, she was enlightened by the Divine Spirit, she felt strengthened, she persevered in her chastity, and full of light and knowledge of the faith she professed, neither the emperor nor her court had answers how to refute them.
Faced with his impotence, the tyrant emperor ordered her to be buried at the bottom of the Tibet River. They tied an anchor around her neck and immediately carried out the order. At the moment of throwing her into the river, God prevented it. At the moment they were about to throw her, two angels cut the rope that tied the anchor to her neck, and the anchor landed at the bottom of the river. The young Filomena was carried in full view of everyone by two angels to the riverbank. This miracle led to the conversion of a large number of people to Christianity.
The tyrant, seeing what had happened, pretended that this miracle was due to magic performed by Philomena. He then ordered her to be dragged through the streets of Rome, and while they were dragging her, he ordered arrows to be shot at her. Wounded all over her body, she began to bleed, and the tyrant Diocletian ordered her to be taken back into captivity.
Saint Philomena remarked that while she was sleeping in her cell, Heaven had honored her with a new favor: a sweet and restorative sleep. When she awoke, she found herself cured. The evil emperor, upon learning of this, was enraged and decided, "Have her pierced with sharp arrows." When they were about to carry out the order, the arrows did not fly from the bows. The evil Diocletian, seeing this, was enraged and believing it to be witchcraft, ordered the arrows to be passed through a furnace to heat them and then shot directly into the girl's heart.
When they fulfilled the orders of the enraged emperor, they shot the arrows and this time the arrows, when traveling a certain distance, were diverted and returned as a boomerang to their starting point, injuring whoever had launched it. On that occasion six of the archers died. Others of them renounced idolatry.
The people who had witnessed everything, began to spread the power of God that had protected the young Filomena. Everything that happened inflamed the emperor and he ordered the young woman's head to be cut off with an ax... her soul went to heaven to meet her Divine Spouse, upon reaching heaven he placed the crown of martyrdom on me and the palm symbol of virginity .
History and Miracles of Santa Filomena
For the fourth century AD, the veneration for Saint Philomena begins, after the saint suffered martyrdom for defending her Christian faith, while different tortures were applied to her, miracles were granted by Divine Providence, showing the power of God to those who saw . Saint Philomena lived during the time of the sovereignty of the Roman Empire in almost the entire European continent, a government that persecuted and sacrificed Christians.
After dying from the horrible torture, his remains were taken to a Roman cemetery, which over time became a reference place to find the remains of the first Christian martyrs. The niche where this martyr was buried was found in 1802, in it they discovered a tomb with her remains, that tomb also had the inscription of a phrase in Latin, drawn signs that according to specialists indicated that the tomb was that of a Christian martyr .
In the year 1805 the small tomb with his remains was taken to the Neapolitan town of Mugnano and placed in the parish church. The first to receive a miracle from Saint Philomena was a Mother Superior who had an image of the saint and she began to pray to her to intercede for her health, since she felt sick, the sister's health improved. Once healed, the Mother Superior felt a great curiosity to know her story and she begins to pray to her until one day she falls into a trance and the requested revelation arrives from her.
The Mother Superior at the service of Jesus Christ, received these revelations possibly between 1805 and 1825, many years before the first information on the history of Saint Philomena appeared, during these revelations the Mother Superior entered into spiritual trances, in which she was revealed the origin, the brief life of the young martyr, her torture, the reason why? they martyred her
Saint Philomena revealed her story to two people: a young craftsman of impeccable conduct and a learned Jesuit priest. The three stories were compared with each other, finding coincidence with the information and details, the revelation of Saint Philomena given to the religious Mother Superior was the most detailed and extensive. Therefore the Holy See gave as certain her existence and her revelation to the nun as the true story of the young martyr of the third century.
Although her cult is authorized by the Catholic Church, since 1969 she was withdrawn from the martyrology in view, that her existence is known from the inscriptions seen on her tomb, and from the three revelations given to these three aforementioned people, subject to any subjectivity, and that later passed through hagiographical certification, to validate the holiness of the young martyr.
Due to the symbols observed in her tomb, the revelations given to three different people and their analogies, as well as according to her history and miracles, they indicate that Saint Philomena was born at the end of the XNUMXrd century or the beginning of the XNUMXth century AD. C. at the time of the government of Emperor Diocletian. She was the daughter of some Greek princes, atheists and because they wanted to have children they converted to Christianity.
They approached Christianity at the suggestion of a Christian doctor, who was the main doctor of the palace, who offered them that through the intermediary of the Holy Spirit, pray for them and ask Almighty God, because they manage to conceive a child. The girl's parents are baptized into Christianity, and leave the prevailing pagan rites at that time, when it is known that her mother managed to get pregnant. When the girl was born they baptized her to Christianity and called her Filomena.
Filomena means daughter of light, because it was their faith in Christianity that enlightened them and brought them out of the shadows of atheism. When Filomena was already a young teenager of 13 years, she traveled together with her parents who had requested an audience with Emperor Diocletian, to request her support with the Emperor's Army because the principality was threatened with war.
Emperor Diocletian gave them the audience and attended them, while the prince informed him of the purpose of his visit, the emperor noticed the young woman who accompanied them and did not take his eyes off her. When Filomena's father finished exposing his situation, the emperor replied that if he was going to help them with all the support of the Imperial Army but with one condition, that he grant him the hand of his daughter.
The parents of the young Filomena, feeling honored that the emperor wanted to marry their young daughter, answered without thinking, yes. They did not take into account the Christian faith of her daughter and that two years before she had taken vows of virginity as part of her Christian education that was imparted to her from her birth. Outside the palace she let her parents know that she refused to marry Emperor Diocletian.
Her father had compromised his word and for this reason he begins to talk to his daughter in order to convince her to agree to Emperor Diocletian's request. He used various methods to convince her to no avail. Just as he talked to her, they also threatened her that horrible things were going to happen to her, that she should stop being selfish and think about her parents and her country. In response to her parents, Filomena replied that her virginity and her soul belonged to Jesus Christ, that above all there was the Kingdom of Heaven.
In view of the girl's refusal, the father decides to go to the Palace to show his face and tell the emperor that his daughter does not accept his request for marriage. In her presence before the emperor, he tried to convince the girl by seducing her with flattery and lavish presents, however, the girl continued to refuse her wedding. Until Diocletian, he got tired of praying because he was considered to be at the same level as the God Jupiter, this was the deity of highest hierarchy according to his beliefs and he did not allow anyone to reject him and, for this, he sent her to prison.
Likewise, the tyrant ordered an anchor to be tied around her neck and thrown into the waters of the Tibet River, to be buried at the bottom of the river, but the angels commanded by the archangel Saint Gabriel broke the rope and took her to the other bank of the river. River. The enraged emperor ordered that they give her severe whipping, they tied her to a column and stripped her naked in front of the men of the court and began to whip her.
Then, while in her cell, she prayed to the Blessed Virgin Mary. While lying wounded, the Virgin appeared to her and healed her wounds with a miraculous balm. She informed her that she would be imprisoned for another 40 days and that she would face a difficult battle, and that she should not fear because the Holy Spirit and Saint Gabriel would be at her side. Filomena was filled with joy at the Virgin's words, but also with fear for all that she was about to suffer.
The tyrant emperor, seeing Filomena's wounds healed, asked her who did it and she said it was thanks to Jesus Christ. He who was against Christianity, said that the one who cured her had been Jupiter and, for this, Diocletian who was a cruel persecutor of Christians, realizing the devotion of the young Filomena for Jesus Christ, decided to punish her. She was then dragged through the streets of Rome as arrows were fired at them.
Almost dead, she is taken back to her cell and while she sleeps she is healed by the archangel Saint Gabriel and other angels. When interviewing Filomena again, she realizes that she has been cured, she orders arrows to be shot at her in front of the town, this time the darts of the arrows were hot, the order was that they be shot directly to the heart, this time when shooting the arrows, they returned and killed six soldiers.
Inflamed by the continuous failures before his people, by the discredited punishments he had done to Filomena, and fearing that more people of the town would convert to the Christian faith and recognize in the miracles that occurred to Filomena, the power of Jesus Christ, he orders her beheaded. His order was carried out on August 10, at three in the afternoon, the same time that Jesus Christ died on the cross. In the revelations that she made many years later, Saint Philomena said that she is in heaven together with those chosen by God.
From the moment Filomena was conceived, the miracles began, as well as her belief and love towards Jesus Christ for whom she sacrificed her life, the miracles she obtained from the Immaculate Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit and the Archangel Saint Gabriel, in the days of his martyrdom for not accepting the proposals of Emperor Diocletian. So also the conversion to Christianity of many of the people who witnessed the punishments given to the girl for her devotion to Jesus Christ and, observing how the power of God, healed the girl and gave her strength to endure them.
When his relics were brought to Mugnano, a parish in Naples, he made their arrival known with a refreshing rain, after long days of dry summer. The miracles that are credited to the girl martyr Santa Filomena, consist of increasing Christian faith, healing wounds, helping to conceive children, curing paralytics, helping people who are going through difficult situations, protecting children and young people, separating diseases, among others.
In the miracles that are recorded granted by Saint Philomena, reference is made to the healing power of the oil from the lamp where the image of the holy girl is found, since since it arrived in Mugnano in 1805, that oil has helped to cure various diseases. , such as the healing of a boy who was blind and cured a girl who had suffered from detachment of the pupil and, as well as other miracles.
From the discovery of the relics of Filomena, at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, her revelations and miracles have been spread from Naples to all of Italy and Europe. And even to the American and Asian continents, they consider Saint Philomena as the magical saint of the XNUMXth century, due to the large number of miracles that she performs for those who pray to her with great faith.
The cult of Saint Philomena
In gratitude for the miraculous healing that Saint Philomena granted to Paulina Jaricot, this missionary built a small chapel on her property in France, it is a replica of the Mugnano chapel in Naples. Her devotees of Santa Filomena, as a token of her gratitude, have filled this chapel with plaques of thanks and images. The parish priest of Ars soon became a devotee of the girl martyr and erected an altar in her honor in her church.
Saint Philomena in France
This pious priest of Ars transformed his parish with the purpose of carrying out massive conversions and miracles in the name of Saint Philomena, especially through the Sacrament of Forgiveness. He was a man of integrity, who courageously bore his poverty, penance, faith and charity. He avoided being venerated by the parishioners he received in his church, seeking him out to solicit his advice and confess. To whom she let them know that the wonders that occurred were the work of Saint Filomena, that she got them from God.
The same parish priest of Ars, came to receive the grace of the miracles of Saint Philomena, more than once he said that all the miracles that he asked the holy martyr girl she granted them. In his parish, more than 14 miracles were counted per week. His name was San Juan María de Vianney, when he was young, starting his priestly work, he became ill with double pneumonia, it got so bad that they performed extreme unction on him, almost breathless he asked that a mass be held in honor of Santa Filomena asking for his health and, when next day it was already restored.
One of the miracles recorded in the parish of the Curé of Ars was that of a mute and paralyzed child. The miracle occurred when the parents took the child to attend the mass of the holy Curé of Ars and when the priest saw them he stopped his catechism class and told them “your faith is very great, coming from so far for something you already have. at home". When he finished his catechism class, he asked them to kneel in front of the image of the Saint and told them to ask for the intermediary of the Virgin Mary.
Suddenly, a commotion was heard, along with the sound of chairs falling over. It turned out that the father had fainted because his son, who had been mute since birth, had told him, "She is beautiful, she is beautiful." From that moment on, the child was cured of all his ailments. Saint Philomena chose this priest as her ally, the parish priest of a small town, but with a heart full of the innocence of a child, who, like her, venerated God the Father.
She allied herself with him to help him fulfill his duties and ensure that he embraced his own powers of mediation before the Lord. The two formed a perfect team, resulting in increased conversion to Christianity and a growing number of devotees of Saint Philomena.
Saint Philomena in Chile
In the year 1840 through the Servant of God Fray Andrés Filomeno García, colloquially known as Fray Andresito, the cult of Santa Filomena arrived in Chile. This friar had the virtue of directing people who came to him in search of healing or advice to request the help of Santa Filomena, to whom he attributed numerous miracles. Fray Andresito, promoted his devotion to the martyr girl throughout the city and provinces of the country.
Since he met Saint Philomena through Father Pedro Ignacio Castro Barro, of Argentine origin who lived as a refugee in Chile for being one of the heroes of political freedom in Argentina, Fray Andresito first researched, read and meditated and became fascinated with the short life and great work of Saint Philomena.
From then on, his life was lived under the direction of Saint Philomena, as happened to the Holy Cure of Ars, in France. Because for both of them, since they met her, she became her partner in thoughts and work. In the same way as the Cure of Ars, Fray Andresito attributed everything to the miraculous saint, he expected everything from her, asked her for everything and obtained everything from her.
When people were healed by him and absolved him of some faults, he made them see that he had done it thanks to Santa Filomena, as if she were an instrument through which the favors and values of his patron saint could come through him. He called his friend inseparable from her, of whom he carried an image at all times, "la santa" or "la chinita", in the Chilean way of how she affectionately called a loved one.
According to a story about Fray Andresito from the Salesian publishing house, this friar managed to build an altar of Santa Filomena, thanks to the alms given by the faithful. He even commissioned a dress for the saint from Paris, which arrived after she died. In order to make the cult of Santa Filomena perennial, the chaplaincy was founded for this. He had the life of the saint and the novena distributed and rewritten several times. He made a romance with the summarized life of Saint Philomena and composed several verses as a tribute, as well as celebrating triduum novenas in her honor.
The story of the editorial continues, saying that Fray Andresito commemorated his patron saint, Santa Filomena, twice a year. The expenses caused by these solemn celebrations were amortized through the foundation of a brotherhood in which many young ladies were enrolled, to whom they were called "Sisters of Saint Philomena" of whom they were proud.
According to this, the story continues, apparently Fray Andresito, through his devotion to Santa Filomena as an instrument of apostolate. Increasing the faithful with attitudes to exercise Christian virtues. When he came to a house more than once, where he had not been called and there was a dying patient, he would say: "It is Saint Philomena who sends me."
Commend yourself to the Saint!
A Quito painter arrived from Ecuador who had among his paintings a large oil painting of Saint Philomena in which she was represented with all the instruments of her martyrdom. When Fray Andresito came to see him, he admired him so much that he wanted to have him or yes or yes. When he asked the cost of it to the painter from Quito, he told him a very high price: five ounces of gold. Immediately the friar thought where do I get this number of ounces? He asked for a discount, however, the man from Quito maintained the price of the painting.
Brother Andresito immediately went out to beg for alms with very little success, given that there were other urgent commitments to attend to: a large sum of money had to be paid, more than thousands for different objects requested from Europe for the chapel in honor of Santa Filomena, such as: beautiful dresses, candlesticks, among other objects for the cult of the saint. In addition, the convent was being repaired and the temple finished.
While pondering where to get the money to acquire the painting, the friar also had to take care of the upkeep of the schools, which are supported by the alms of the faithful. A year passed in this search, while the friar stopped by the shop to admire the image and try to obtain it, without success. One day, Friar Andresito was with the Quito native, and the latter said to him: "Father, I'm already packing. Know that in two days I'm leaving for Valparaíso, and from there to Ecuador. Unless you bring me the ounces in that time, you'll have lost the painting."
With this novelty in his mind, Fray Andresito went out into the street to beg for money. He went from door to door, but it was useless, the afternoon came and the morning had been unproductive, Fray Andresito had almost lost hope, and as a last attempt he went to the house of Doña Rosario Cerda, whom he asked to provide him with the money, with the commitment that I would return it.
She gives him the money and goes straight to the store of Quito, however, when he arrived at the Plaza de Armas, an unknown gentleman comes to him who asks him to bring an offering to Santa Filomena, the strange gentleman He tells Fray Andresito: “Fray Andrés, receive these five ounces that I offered to Santa Filomena and I owe you”.
"Commend yourself to the Saint!" were the words Brother Andresito always had on his lips when they begged him for relief or remedy for any material or spiritual situation that needed healing. In this way, Brother Andresito was the ladder by which, step by step, one ascended to Saint Philomena, and through Saint Philomena, to God, and from there, abundant blessings descended. Just as in France and Italy, Saint Philomena bestowed many blessings. In Chile, the favors granted by the child martyr are countless.
Patronage of Santa Filomena
Saint Philomena is the patron saint of the Living Rosary, instituted by the French missionary Paulina Jaricot, who was healed by the Saint. She is also the patron saint of babies, children and adolescents, as well as infertile women, difficult or impossible causes. She is the patron saint of young virgins, of women consecrated to Jesus Christ body and soul, and of girls unjustly imprisoned. She, in addition to those who consecrate their lives to God.
Phrases of Saint Philomena
Of Santa Filomena it is known what she narrated to three people in her revelations, for this reason it is difficult to know through manuscripts aspects of her life and phrases that she has said, that are proven that this happened. From the three people to whom she made her revelation, a phrase can be extracted that the Sister Mother Superior attributed to Saint Philomena... "There is so much to know about me that the world will not leave its astonishment”, This has been so due to the number of miracles attributed to the saint.
As well as this phrase, from the revelations made to the Mother Superior Maria Luisa, the following phrases are also extracted, which lead us to the search of the knowledge of the words of God and of his son Jesus Christ during his earthly gospel, and to know more in the reading of the Bible the history of the first Christians and the teachings of the Christian doctrine. Here are some phrases attributed to Saint Philomena, namely:
«The eternal goods of heaven are incomprehensible to human understanding«
«Love for a person is not a justification for missing Jesus Christ."
Consecrating oneself to God, in soul and virginity, puts the love of Jesus Christ above all things and people»
«Our Kingdom must be Heaven»
«God provides us with a place in heaven, distinguished by His Divine presence”
Santoral of Saint Philomena
On August 11, the festivities are held in commemoration of Saint Philomena, and as more and more faithful become devoted to the girl martyr, her devotion officially began in the XNUMXth century, and transcended the borders of the city of Mugnano in Naples, Italy spreading in all the towns of the planet. Her devotion grew from the courage of a girl who defended her conviction of the word and works of God, her love of Jesus Christ, of the Immaculate Virgin Mary of whom she is a favorite daughter.
Other dates related to the saints of Santa Filomena are January 10, which commemorates it for possibly being her date of birth, also the following Sunday in January her patronage is celebrated. According to his revelations, his physical death occurred on August 10, in view of this, on August 10, the transfer of his remains is remembered. These commemorations take place despite the fact that in 1969 she was removed from martyrdom by the Holy See.
In addition to these dates, Saint Filomena's name is glorified on August 13 and on the second Sunday of August a solemn mass is held in her name. On May 25, the discovery of her tomb is remembered and on September 29, the arrival of the saint's relics in Mugnano, Naples, is commemorated. The saint is also remembered on January 30 for being the day that Pope Gregory XVI recognizes her as a Saint deserving of public worship.
The exemplary attitude of the girl Filomena
Filomena showed a lot of maturity for knowing how to keep her word and conviction to the Christian faith that was instilled in her since she was little. It is surprising how, despite her punishments, the girl remained firm and through her showed the power of God on earth, achieving with her sacrifice that many people knew and converted to the Christian faith. I think her earthly parents suffered a lot for losing a daughter they loved so much at such a young age and for pleasing an evil being.
This would have to lead us to reflect on the attitudes that we currently have with the Christian faith, so that it serves as an examination of conscience and, to have greater faith that God through the Holy Spirit guides our lives, than leading a life of faith , life can be so much better. In addition, that the acts of each one of us impact the lives of other people for this reason every day we have to believe in God, his teachings and love our neighbor.
The Living Rosary
The French missionary Paulina Jaricot, in the year 1826 had the idea of creating a Living Rosary while she was experiencing a serious illness. Her goal was to have a wonderful instrument to spread the fervor to the Mother of God and beg her help every day. With the intention of making a life of prayer simple and accessible to all people of different ages and social conditions. To achieve this, she distributed the fifteen decades of the Rosary among fifteen people.
The "Living Rosary" was approved by Pope Gregory XVI on January 27, 1832, by means of which all those who make the commitment to meditate on a mystery of the Rosary are united each day. The Living Rosary is the source of unlimited blessings and hopes of health. It is an effective instrument to achieve the graces and protections of the Virgin. When you are part of the Living Rosary, you pray together with more billions of people and by joining these people, the gratitude and merits of the Rosary are massive and become infinite.
Two years after the death of its founder in 1862, more than two and a half million people had registered in France alone. The purpose is to form a network of faithful praying the rosary every day at any time, in this way they win the graces and indulgences of all. Thus the strong support the weak and the most fervent enlighten the faithless, the morally rich enrich the poor.
Prayers and Novena to Saint Philomena
Saint Philomena is a miraculous saint who has healed various illnesses and diseases. If we pray this powerful prayer to Saint Philomena with great faith and conviction, she will surely grant the favor we earnestly request. Thanks to her miraculous mediation, her cult has been growing steadily since the 19th century.
Prayer to the Immaculate Saint Philomena
Oh! Immaculate, Holy Virgin Mary, eternal mother of your faithful devotees, mediate for me, seeking the forgiveness of my sins, before God Almighty Heavenly Father, listen to my prayers, which I dedicate to you, with such humility, in which I beg you, with faith, to be healed of this serious disease, which plagues me and tired humanity, and I implore you, also full of humility, Holy Virgin grant me the blessing of healing. Amen.
Oh! Immaculate Virgin Holy Mary, I beg you to allow Saint Philomena, your favorite daughter, to act in me, with the power of the Holy Spirit, so that I may be cured of this terrible evil, which is a brokenness that does not leave me alone. live, Santa Filomena, miraculous, help me, I beg you, to stop suffering from this painful disease, work in me your powerful goodness, so that this evil ceases completely, with faith, I thank you. Amen.
Miraculous Prayer to Saint Philomena
"God, Lord God Almighty Heavenly Father, I ask you, with a great sense of obedience, to work in me, your miraculous power, so that all my ills are cured, and especially this illness, from which I cannot remedy myself, Lord Almighty , allow your beloved daughter, Saint Philomena, to reach her my pleas, because she is a saint of my devotion, and to whom I also go in search of a prompt healing, God Almighty, thank you ". Amen.
“Saint Philomena, before your sacred and miraculous presence, I implore you to assist me to get out of this serious situation, that your prodigious strength may work in me, so that with the help of Saint Gabriel the Archangel, all my ills may be removed, and that this suffering get out of my body, just begged you, mediate in my favor, may God forgive me my sins, and I promise to follow the path of enlightenment that Jesus Christ, with his gospel pointed out to us.
Amen!
Prayer to Saint Philomena for Difficult Requests
Oh Most Pure Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr!, example of faith and hope, generous in charity, humble in life, I implore you, listen to my prayer.
From the sky where you reign, make fall on me all the help and help that I need at this moment when my strength weakens.
You who are so powerful next to God, intervene for me, I beg you, and obtain for me the grace that I ask of you.
(Make the request).
Oh Saint Philomena! Illustrious for so many miracles, pray for me, dispense the miracle of seeing my difficult problems resolved.
Do not abandon me, never give up looking like a ray of hope on me and my family.
Away from me temptations, give peace to my soul and bless my house.
O Saint Philomena! For the blood you shed for love of Jesus Christ, obtain for me the grace I ask of you:
(Repeat the request).
Pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be.
Saint Philomena, help me in my impotence, do not leave me in these difficult moments.
I promise to be your faithful devotee and to reveal to others in need how miraculous and kind you are.
Amen.
Pray three Our Fathers, three Hail Marys and three Glories.
Novena for Saint Philomena
The first novena dedicated to this little martyr was dedicated to Paulina Jaricot, when she was convalescing. Paulina was a French missionary, who although she was little and in her youth was raised with all the privileges of a person of French high society. After attending a mass and hearing the gospel, she decided to give up her privileges and dedicate herself to the missionary life and spread the faith in Christianity and Saint Philomena.
PREPARATORY PRAYER (For everyday)
O Immaculate Virgin invincible martyr Saint Philomena! You, who for love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, resisted painful tortures, shed all your virginal blood, and gave up your tender and angelic life, in heroic testimony of the truth of the Christian Religion that I myself have the honor to profess.
Present to God in my favor all your tortures and, by your valuable prayers, obtain from Him this ardent love for Jesus Christ together with the special favor that I have now requested, so that serving faithfully as long as I live, to such a sovereign King and Lord, I may achieve the happiness of possessing him, together with you, in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Amen.
CLOSING PRAYER (For everyday)
Oh glorious Virgin and Martyr Saint Philomena! whose mercy seems to have reserved God, in his eternal Wisdom, for these dark times full of so much impiety, to revive our faith, sustain hope, and increase charity. Saint Philomena, whom God has clothed with a singular power of intercession for the glory of his holy name and for the benefit of the Church!
Martyr of Christ full of goodness! Receive me today under your heavenly protection and save me with your powerful intercession.
Look at me surrendered at your feet, full of faith, recognizing in you a great advocate and protector of the poor and all the afflicted.
More so that I may be worthy of this favor, obtain for me that virginal goodness for which you have sacrificed everything that the world considers most honorable.
Reach me that strength of mind that made you bravely resist all the flattery of the Emperor Diocletian and finally communicate to me an ardent love for the Faith of Jesus Christ for which you suffered the most cruel and painful torments.
Along with these requests, I ask you, with all the fervor of my soul, to obtain for me from God the particular favor that, in this novena, I have come to request through your generous intercession. The merciful Jesus, your Divine Spouse, for whose love you have suffered martyrdom and death, will deny nothing to your prayers. Yes, innocent virgin and valiant Martyr! The Good God who said: 'ASK AND YOU WILL RECEIVE' will deny you nothing, and then the infallibility of these generous promises may be realized in me. Thus I hope from the charity that burns in your compassionate and virginal heart. Amen.
FIRST DAY
Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr full of purity! That in the fourth century, a century still full of idolatry and pagan corruption, despite all the prestige of error and hatred professed for Christians by the vain worshipers of false gods, you gave a heroic testimony of the Faith. full of wisdom, that at eleven years old, at such a tender age, in which the illusions of the world offer obstacles to innocence, you escaped from its ties by consecrating to Jesus Christ your virginal purity that you had to keep inviolable even at the cost of your life .
Saint Philomena! For this virginal purity, today the most precious pearl of your heavenly crown, I beg you to attend to my pleas and deign to present them to your Divine Spouse and for your merits, obtain for me from Him this living Faith and this purity of heart, without which one cannot enter in the Kingdom of God. Amen.