The story of Saint Philomena is about a young martyr who was part of the believers of the ancient church. She was hidden in the annals of history until her remains were found on May 24, 1802.
Story of Saint Philomena
This is more of a legend than a historical fact. It's considered as such because the only evidence of its existence is a tomb; there are no written accounts or anything of the sort. In 1802, an archaeological excavation took place in Rome, where the remains of a girl of about 12 or 13 years old were found. This was corroborated by revelations given by Saint Philomena to three people. To learn more about these topics, you can read about Christian values.
These three people, to whom the revelation was made, had nothing in common and did not know each other, despite all living in nineteenth-century Italy . The story of the saint is based on these apparitions, and the people who recounted them were considered very reliable for the time. Of course, these are the only historical mentions of this saint, and for this reason, many consider her a legend.
These characters, who recounted the apparition, lived between the end of the eighteenth century and the middle of the nineteenth century, and were: an artisan who was from Naples , a man who was a great religious man, very devout and of upright conscience, he became a kind of monk; and a nun who resided in the city of Naples , and was consecrated in soul and virginity to the work of God.
These three revelations, delivered to individuals of very good reputation, were faithful in their main characteristics, which the saint had, of course, revealed to them, and all three coincided in the same details. Of these three, the statements given by the nun, apparently named María L. de Jesús (1799-1875), are the most detailed regarding the history of this saint.
The nun recounted the place she came from, and the reason and details of the torment of this saint who lived such a short life; in popular parlance, she is considered the miracle worker of the nineteenth century. These apparitions coincide with the findings made during the opening of the tomb in 1802, in the well-known catacombs of the Via Salaria in Rome , an ancient Roman cemetery.
When they opened the crypt where the remains of Saint Philomena were found , they discovered various items indicating that the remains belonged to a Christian martyr from the time of the persecutions against the early followers of Jesus Christ . This is where the fascinating story of Saint Philomena begins.
For the discoverers of the tomb, in May of eighteen hundred and two, the elements that served as evidence that she was a martyr; were some elements that indicate that she was a virgin and that she died by martyrdom, of course this was evaluated with the assistance of a Jesuit priest, Mariano Portenio : on the slab is inscribed the phrase, “(fi)lumena, pax tecum fi(at) ”, translated as, Filomena peace be with you: so be it.
This inscription was placed on the tombs of Christians who had died as martyrs. This constitutes the collection of martyrs from the early days of Christianity. On the same tombstone, symbols and writings could be seen; these denoted death by martyrdom. One such symbol was an anchor, indicating that the deceased had been thrown into deep waters, as happened to Pope Saint Clement in the 1st century AD.
Arrows could also be seen, serving as a reminder of how Saint Sebastian's life was taken , 256-288, who was killed by arrows; there is a palm leaf adorning the center of the tombstone and symbolizing the Christian triumph over evil.
There were other symbols as well; among them was a whip with metal spheres, used to flog and torment captured Christians until they died. Next to it were two arrows, placed from top to bottom. These symbolize the arrows returned by the Archangel Gabriel on his return to Mount Gargano.
Among the symbols was a painting of a flowered lily plant, symbolizing a triumphant virgin; this means that she overcame the yearnings of the flesh and she left pure just as she came into the world. Among the objects found in the tomb of Santa Filomena, a vase made of glass stands out.
This glass was split in half, and without any contaminants inside, only blood residue could be seen. One more indication that the remains were of a martyred virginal, as was customary at the time; of the first centuries to collect in a container the blood of martyred Christians.
This was a ritual that served as a tribute to the blood shed in the execution of Jesus . Everything found in this excavation was indicative of how the person died inside the crypt; one could say that the evidence is more circumstantial than anything else.
Another peculiarity of the glass container, where the blood of the story of Saint Philomena was found, is that; when they tried to remove it from the glass and take it to another glass container; its dark color could still be seen, but when brought close to the urn it transformed into globular particles.
The most impressive thing about this phenomenon is that these globules lost their red color and were seen with all the colors of the rainbow; with a good part of gold color, a ruby red, silver color and a crystalline part that shone like a pure diamond.
Returning to the relics in the story of Saint Philomena , the remains of her ribs bore marks of wounds; a fissure was visible in her skull, and she still had almost all of her teeth. These human remains were taken under the protection of the monk known as Francis of Lucia. He first moved them to Naples, to a library, until he was able to transfer them to his parish church.
The monk was originally from Mugnano, which is in the heart of Naples, Italy. This happened in the month of September one thousand eight hundred and five. The history of Santa Filomena dates back to the early days of the so-called Christian era and, of course, became very popular after its discovery in the early nineteenth century.
When her relics arrived, it was a cause for great rejoicing for the local population; upon arriving in Naples , at the temple of Mugnano , the parishioners immediately became devotees of the saint, and offered her their devotion; receiving quick and favorable answers to the supplications they made to her, her miracles became very popular.
A few centuries later, in the early 30s, the story of Saint Philomena had already spread throughout the world; it is at this time that research and books began to be written about the story of Saint Philomena; which speak of her revelations and the numerous signs found in her tomb, which characterize her as a virginal maiden.
Once recognized as a martyr for being a Christian, Pope Leo XII (1760–1928) canonized her, and Pope Gregory XVI (1831–1846) authorized her public veneration. The veneration of Saint Philomena 's story steadily increased; by 1805, in the middle of that century, she was recognized as the miracle-working saint of the 19th century due to the numerous miracles she granted to her followers.
It is celebrated on August 1969, because it coincides with the date on which the cult is approved by the church in XNUMX. She is the patron saint of infants, the deviant, the sick, boys, people who have come to less, and some others. The iconography of Saint Philomena is based on the signs inscribed on her tomb; which are an anchor, a lily or lily, the whip, the arrows, the palm and a crown.
Many studies, based on her hagiography, doubt that the saint really existed; because if they faithfully followed the facts, it is more of a legend than a history; they cannot fully verify it, yet devotion to the story of Saint Philomena continues to grow in the Catholic world.
Biography
All the literature that mentions the story of Saint Philomena comes from documents compiled after the discovery of her tomb in 1802. It was in this year that her remains were found in a catacomb located in the city of Rome, and from the revelations that this saint made to three Italians who lived during the beginning of the 19th century.
What was most significant was that a nun claimed the saint had appeared to her and revealed in great detail her life on earth and her martyrdom. The story of Saint Philomena recounts that she was a young woman deeply devoted to God and a practitioner of early Christianity; she lived during the terrible persecution of the followers of Jesus Christ.
These persecutions were ordered by the Roman sovereign Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletian Augustus , 244–311; better known as Diocletian . This occurred during the fourth century AD. She was the only descendant of Greek monarchs. Saint Philomena 's parents offered homage to the pagan gods, to the god Jupiter.
The great healer of Saint Philomena 's parents , who was a great believer in the word of our Lord, inspired by the power of God who came to earth, encouraged them to become Christians; recommending that they receive God through the sacred sacrament of baptism and promising to pray to them that God would grant them the joy of having offspring.
As the Lord is unique and true, as well as very powerful, he granted them the blessing of a pregnancy and from this their first and only daughter was born. The saint's parents, seeing themselves thus blessed, gladly accepted baptism in the faith of Jesus Christ; and they made the gospel of Jesus Christ the sustenance of their faith, so they abandoned the pagan cults in which they believed.
This girl, born by God's blessing, was named Filomena , as a testament to the fact that their child was a product of their faith in the Lord and how the light illuminated her birth. This name is a testament to the fact that through their daughter, the light of faith had been born within them, since Filomena means "daughter of light," "the beloved one."
According to the story of Saint Philomena , she was instructed in all aspects of the Christian faith by the Roman healer Publius , whom the Lord has placed in His kingdom for being a devout follower of Jesus Christ. Saint Philomena recounts that her parents loved her dearly; she was an only child, a product of their recent faith in God , and the source of the light that illuminated her life, allowing her to discover the true path that leads to eternal happiness.
A great tragedy befell the kingdom of Philomena 's parents . Despite being rulers of Greece , Philomena 's ancestors were dependent on the Roman Empire , at that time the most powerful city and capital of the world. The Philomena household's misfortune began with the threat of an unjust war, which motivated them to travel to Rome to seek support from Diocletian.
Diocletian ruled autocratically, and at that time he proclaimed himself emperor. It was in the year 248 that he consolidated his power by winning the Battle of the Margus ; Carinus also won the title of Roman emperor at this battle, but he was deposed by the imperial army afterward. Diocletian ruled from 284 to 311 AD, under the Tetrarchy.
It was during this period that the life and martyrdom of Saint Philomena took place . Information about the saint's parents, revealed through her own revelations, is known to have been Greek rulers, but their names were not disclosed. What she did reveal were the tragic events that befell her after they met with the despotic emperor.
The Roman emperor agreed to provide the troops they needed, as requested by the saint's father; he also assured her that she would have a life free of worries, filled with peace and happiness. Saint Philomena , raised in the knowledge of the one true God , consecrated herself to Jesus Christ at the age of 11 , making a personal vow of virginity, just as Saint Elizabeth of the Trinity would do fifteen hundred years later.
Despite her young age, she had such a strong faith that she was willing to defend the gospel with all her might; this despite the fact that at the time the mandates and custom made Christianity illegal. It was a time when young virgins were given in marriage without her consent.
As a condition for granting him part of his armies, Emperor Diocletian told the father of Saint Philomena that he must give his daughter to him in marriage, because the girl had greatly impressed him the day he saw her, and he could not take his eyes off her. At that time, Saint Philomena was only thirteen years old, according to the saint herself.
She had sworn to remain celibate, due to her great devotion to the Lord, and refused to marry the emperor. Philomena 's father had agreed to give his daughter in marriage to the widowed emperor. This would secure him all the military aid his region required; it would also place him in a privileged social position, since his daughter would become empress of the Roman Empire.
This was something that Filomena 's parents should not have done ; they never considered, perhaps because they didn't know, that the first sovereign was ordered to be killed by her husband; along with her little baby precisely for being Christians.
That was a time of persecution for Christians, despite being a religion that had more and more followers; they were also demonized. It was also a very common practice, among the high officials of the empire who repudiated their wives or concubines, if they were practitioners of Christianity.
It was very strange that the saint's parents, who had converted to the Gospel and, because of Jesus ' teachings , had stopped practicing their pagan rites, would have been handed over to a tyrannical governor who promoted the extermination of Christians and Manicheans. It must also be considered that Philomena was still a child, only thirteen years old. It is difficult to understand why they would have given her to a tyrannical governor who promoted the extermination of Christians and Manicheans.
Diocletian not only persecuted and martyred Christians, and indeed all followers of the true God , but he had also ordered the murder of his two previous wives, Prisca and Saint Serena , along with their two daughters. These accounts are considered by many biblical scholars today to be unfounded legends.
These scholars claim that martyrologies should be revised. They say that the martyred wife Serena should be removed from the list ; she should not be on the list of saints. They consider her life a legend, that she never existed, and that her veneration is based on promoting the rise of Christianity in the imperial court of that era. To learn more about spiritual topics, you can read " How many books are in the New Testament ?"
There is a theory that holds that both Saint Serena and Saint Alexandra are the same cult, that they are the same holy figure, which arose from the tragedy that was the death of the wife of the emperor Diocletian , named Prisca , who had to flee when she was discovered giving her support to the preachers of Jesus Christ, it would be a splitting of cult something similar to what happens with Saint Eulalia of Barcelona, Spain.
The only explanation for Philomena 's parents accepting the arrangement is their lack of knowledge about the fate of Diocletian's previous wives; only this can justify Saint Philomena 's betrothal to the governor. Her father tried to convince her with countless pleas and displays of affection, urging her to do it for them, her parents, for her country, and for her subjects.
They pleaded and explained much, they made many arguments, but Philomena remained faithful to her promise of faith to Jesus , and consequently refused all her parents' requests. In the account of the story of Saint Philomena , she relates in her revelations that her answers were negative to such a request to marry the emperor, because she was consecrated to Jesus Christ.
The girl's virginity was a matter of her Christian fervor; she was determined to protect her chastity above all else, placing herself above her parents, her nation, above everything, and declaring that her aspiration was the kingdom of heaven. Her parents, because of her repeated refusals to marry, brought her before the Emperor Diocletian.
The emperor tried to persuade her to agree to his marriage proposal, initially with gifts and enticing promises. But all this proved futile; when he achieved nothing, his next move was to threaten her. However, Saint Philomena, faithful to Jesus Christ , ignored his demands, which enraged the emperor like a demon, and he ordered her to be chained and imprisoned.
In the revelations the saint tells, that being imprisoned and chained, they only fed her with portions of bread and some water. Already at that moment she had the feeling that it was the beginning of great calamities, since being in jail her chastity was under constant threat, only for the protection of the Lord, they could not harm her integrity.
The saint, seeking solace, prayed constantly, praying to the Virgin Mary , her Son, and the Father. In the fifth week of her imprisonment, she had an apparition of the Blessed Virgin, who told her that her torments would last another forty days. Saint Philomena recounts that when the Virgin Mary appeared to her in radiant celestial light, she told her that stormy times were coming.
The torments that were coming for the saint would be worse than those she had already endured, but this should not discourage her; she was the chosen one, the only and precious daughter; and in the events that were about to come, the archangel Gabriel would be her companion, to offer her his help with his great strength, because he is the angel of both of them.
The apparition of the Virgin brought to Philomena's mind that her name means light, just as Jesus Christ is; he, like her, the Virgin, can be seen as the sun and the full moon, capable of illuminating even in the deepest darkness; when the vision of the Holy Virgin disappeared, the cell where she was confined was filled with a heavenly smell.
With this heavenly visit, she renewed her spirit, and with great courage she waited for what awaited her, which she knew would be nothing good or pleasant. The cruel ruler, got tired of trying to persuade her to marry him. With what began to be verified what the Holy Virgin Mary had announced to her the previous days, her fight would consist of resisting, with her faith, the martyrdom to which she would be publicly subjected.
When the emperor grew tired of this, he told her what would happen to her, Saint Philomena ; he would punish her just as Jesus was tormented. He immediately ordered her to be flogged, stripping her clothes and leaving her completely naked before the courtiers of the royal palace, and tied to a column. Then, when she was healed, she was taken to the Tiber River and tied to an anchor. They tried to drown her, but by a miracle of the angels, the anchor rope broke, and she was saved.
The next torment to which she was subjected was to be dragged through the narrow streets of the city, amidst a hail of arrows. Half-dead, she was taken back to her cell. Here another miracle occurred: by the grace of divine providence and the archangel Gabriel , she awoke healed. But Diocletian remained blind to the wonders of God.
The citizens of Rome witnessed the miracles that occurred around Philomena; this led many to see the truth of the Lord, and thus they recognized the true God . Many people who witnessed these barbaric acts, which many repudiated, began to convert to Christianity, the light of God illuminating hearts.
These witnesses of the saint's martyrdom would be the ones who would later make Christianity official, and it would be the religion of the whole place. The belief in the word worked the miracle of touching many hearts; Through the saint, however, the cruel emperor remained blind to the miracles of God, performed in the person of Saint Philomena.
Since the sovereign could not kill the girl, and she still did not give in to his claims; rather each torment made her stronger in her faith, besides her; she healed from every damage she suffered, she believed she was a magician, so she arranged for her to die by means of hot darts; which her archers dispelled against her, but once again her assassination attempt fails, firing the white-hot arrows in the opposite direction.
The large number of people who witnessed these barbarities against a believer in the faith began to acclaim the Lord loudly; the same one in whom the young woman believed, in whom she had faith; and indeed, whom the angels protected by healing the wounds of her martyrdom; the emperor Diocletian , still blind to God , anticipating that the people would raise her up, ordered that she be beheaded.
This happened on a Friday. The order was given, and the execution was carried out; thus, the girl's head was severed. This is according to the story of Saint Philomena , as recounted in the revelations. Because of the miracles performed in Saint Philomena , it is said that her soul reached eternal heaven, to be with her heavenly spouse, Jesus Christ.
She won the battle against humanity's lack of compassion, and above all, against the influence of evil. She was given the palm of martyrdom and taken into the presence of the Father, where she will be happy for all eternity. Her short life was a testament to the great power of God in the face of human atrocities and the evils inspired by the devil.
This saint is a perfect example of the great powers of the Lord and the great miracles He can work for us if we have true faith. This is why we must put the Lord before all human things; she is an example of how the Blessed Virgin is a living presence, helping us in the most difficult trials, and how Jesus Christ and His angels work miracles in people.
The fervor for the story of Saint Philomena begins at the beginning of the fourth century, after the coming of the Lord ; it is then that the Romans were a great empire spread over a good part of Europe , and in those times Christians were persecuted, since officially the government was pagan, this was a time in which many of the first Christians were martyred.
For firmly maintaining her faith in the Lord, the saint was martyred, and during these events, great prodigies could be witnessed, all the work of the divinity of the Lord, this was like a beacon to attract true believers. All those who witnessed the saint's death followed her example of faith from then on.
After this cruel and wicked death, the girl's remains were buried in the Campo Santo in Rome . To this day, it is a place for the study of life from past centuries, where the remains of early Christian martyrs continue to be found. 1500 years later, in 1802, her tomb was discovered, containing not only her remains but also inscriptions.
In the year 1805, her blessed relics were taken to Mugnano in Naples and placed in the local church. A nun, who was the superior, obtained a sphinx of the saint and prayed to it to intercede for her and relieve her of her illnesses. When the nun was healed, she began to take a greater interest in the saint and prayed to learn about her story.
This nun would be the one who goes into a trance and the saint reveals her story to her. This sister superior was from that town, and also a maiden consecrated to religion, these revelations made by the saint, which possibly occurred between 1805 and 1825, previous years in which the first impressions on the history of Saint Filomena appeared.
She went into a trance, and that's how she received the information about the origin, and everything that happened and the reasons for the martyrdom despite her young age. In addition to this nun, the story was revealed to two other people, a humble craftsman and a Jesuit priest, and then they were contrasted, all three being found to agree in its details.
Despite this, the one who received the most details of the story of Saint Philomena was the nun, and thus these are considered to be the true story of Saint Philomena , which occurred in the third century, and the other two accounts serve as confirmation of that of the Mother Superior.
Saint Philomena and her miracles
This saint is credited with a series of miracles, of which little evidence exists. These begin with the miracle of her own conception. Her parents were unable to have children, so her personal physician prayed to God for a miracle, and Filomena 's parents conceived. Later, her devotion to religion, despite her young age, is also considered a miracle.
They add that while imprisoned, she received many gifts from the Virgin Mary, Jesus , the Archangel Gabriel , and the Creator Himself. Furthermore, all who witnessed her martyrdom and subsequent death converted to Christianity; this unwavering faith is considered miraculous. Moreover, it is noteworthy that she experienced miraculous healings.
Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, her deeds, considered miraculous, have been observed from Naples and the rest of Europe, reaching, for the most part, the Americas and Asia. It is in these places that Saint Philomena is considered the miracle-working saint of the nineteenth century, due to the various miracles she grants to those who pray to her devoutly.
For the most part the miracles, which they say it can do, consist in the healing of wounds; as well as resolve conflicts between people. It is said that it can protect infants and adolescents; strengthen faith; give encouragement to those who are desperate; drive away diseases; try to conceive babies. His arrival in the town of Mugnano, Italy, was accompanied by heavy rain; which ended almost a year of drought.
It is also popular knowledge that the oil on the candle where the iconography is found; of the saint, it is miraculous. Since she was taken to the place where she rests, in 1805, that oil has healed all kinds of diseases; even in its early years it began to be highly sought after, because there were testimonies indicating that it was capable of curing even blindness; and other ills that are considered incurable.
virgin and martyr
When the relics were removed from the saint's crypt, along with all its contents, they were kept in Rome until 1805. Around that time, Father Francis di Lucia from Mugnano , a small town near Naples , visited Rome . He had a burning desire to obtain the relics of a young martyr for his church.
In this endeavor, he was supported by the Bishop of Potenza , with whom he had traveled. The priest was invited to see the reliquary; this was a specially prepared corridor where the holy relics of that church rested. When he arrived at the place where Philomena 's relics rested , he was filled with great spiritual joy and prayed before them.
For this priest, the stoicism with which the girl endured martyrdom could be a great source of enlightenment, for the boys and girls of his congregation, and that her strength for the preservation of her chastity would serve as a challenge to purity. The relics of this saint were considered famous and were reserved for some distinguished prelate.
Since he received no reply to his request for the relic, Father Francis decided to go alone to speak with one of the canons, where he again requested the relic. This time, he made the request in the name of the Bishop of Potenza . The relic presented to him belonged to Saint Ferma . Those involved in the first request believed the bishop deserved a first-class relic.
This is how the priest obtained the relics of Saint Philomena . The bishop, upon receiving them, gave them to the priest. On their return to their home, the priests stayed at the home of a good friend in Naples . The lady of the house, Angela Rose, had suffered from an incurable illness for twelve years. She offered to wear the relics in the hope of being cured.
Then the remains were covered with a sculpture of Philomena , commissioned for this purpose; and the whole was placed in a wooden coffin. Many supposed miracles occurred from that moment on. The woman was immediately healed upon touching the relics. Others also received various healings.
On August 10, 1805, the saint's remains completed their journey to Mugnano , arriving at the priest's residence. Miraculous events of all kinds continued to be reported there. Just before their arrival, thanks to the prayers of the inhabitants, a heavy rain refreshed the fields and meadows after a long drought.
A lawyer named Michael Ulpicella had been bedridden in his room for more than five weeks; he was taken to the saint's shrine and when he returned he was completely healed. Many miraculous events were witnessed at the saint's sanctuary. Among them was the healing of Pauline Jaricot.
This was a young woman, a descendant of distinguished French gentlemen . She stood out among the other girls for her great physical beauty and personality. However, despite being surrounded by the finest pleasures and having many gentlemen courting her, her heart was drawn more to spiritual things than to worldly things, though the struggle between the two was fierce. If you want to learn more, you can read parables of Jesus.
In the end, faith prevailed over earthly pleasures; she became a nun and was the founder of the " Company for the Spread of Faith and the Living Rosary".
Pauline had suffered from the illness before, but it was in March of 1835 that it truly became severe. It was at this time that her heart was affected; as the illness worsened, the palpitations became violent, so much so that they could be heard from a distance.
Just by moving a little she already felt the problem of her heart and this suffocated her. She had trouble breathing and at times she stopped beating her pulse. There was no medicine to help her improve, the doctors had already exhausted her knowledge without achieving any improvement in her. During many years of discomfort and mortification, she only had brief periods of relief from her torment.
One of these moments of peace came right after finishing a prayer to the saint, after learning of her influence with God. She said that just mentioning the saint's name filled her with peace and a desire to visit her sanctuary. But that seemed impossible, as it was a great distance from France.
One day she had an epiphany, and after learning from her doctor that her condition was so grave that nothing more could be done for her, she decided to try to reach the sanctuary of Philomena . She managed to arrive alive and said to herself, "If this journey doesn't kill me, I will reach Rome to obtain the blessing of the Holy Father ," which was her lifelong ambition.
To reach Rome , it was necessary to travel through the Alps , along treacherous paths. It was a long and perilous journey, even for people in better health than she. Despite the dangers, Pauline set out. The pain she endured was immense. In Cambery , her courage waned, and she almost resigned herself to dying far from home and the Vicar of Christ.
She lost consciousness for a couple of days. The young people from the monastery academy in her home prayed a rosary to Saint Philomena for her recovery, and once the prayer was finished , Pauline was able to continue her pilgrimage.
Pauline again needed to rest in Loreto, Italy, where she fell ill once more. After a few days, she was able to continue her journey, but she arrived in Rome practically unconscious. The nuns attended to her with great kindness; her condition was so poor that she couldn't leave the convent. It seemed that after so much hardship, she wouldn't be able to see the Pope.
But the saints in whom she had such great faith did not abandon her. When she finally arrived in Rome , her arrival was reported to Pope Gregory XVI , who, upon learning of her poor condition, went to see her in person, knowing all she had done for the Church. This was a great honor and a comfort to Pauline.
Pope Gregory was very attentive and thanked her eloquently for her many contributions to the faith. He prayed for her health and blessed her. He asked her to include him in her prayers when he was with the Lord in heaven, and the woman promised to do so. Then she asked him:
"Holy Father, if it so happens that I did not die on this journey and managed to return to Mugnano, and walked to the Vatican, would Your Holiness be able to deign to proceed with the missing investigation of the history of Saint Philomena?"
He replied that of course he would, as that would be a great miracle. He said this because they believed he wouldn't make it, since his health was very poor. This happened in August, and it was very hot. When they arrived in Mugnano, it was the day before the celebration of Philomena . Large crowds had gathered to celebrate the festival.
At dawn, Pauline went to receive communion near the relics. She was in great pain, her body was weak, and her heart was beating so strongly that she fainted. Everyone thought she had died. Her companions helped her out of the church, but then she regained consciousness and signaled for them to leave her near the relics.
Unexpectedly a lot of crying came to her eyes, and the color returned to her face, the pallor she always had disappeared, suddenly the health in her body was noticeable. Her spirit was full of heavenly joy, and she thought that he was leaving this world to go to heaven. But it was not her death, the saint had healed her, and she gave her many years of life to pay homage to the church.
Once Pauline was certain she was cured, she didn't tell anyone for a while. But at the convent, they realized what was happening and ordered the bells to be rung to announce the miracle. The townspeople, filled with joy, shouted in homage to Saint Philomena . Pauline stayed at the convent for a few more days.
When she left, she carried with her a large relic of the saint, inside a statue made for that purpose. If you want to learn more about spiritual matters, you can read the prayer to Saint Catherine.
Pauline had not informed the Pope of her miracle. When the news reached the Vatican , they were surprised, and even more so when she returned in perfect health. The Pope was amazed to see her in such good condition. As she had requested, he granted her the privilege of building a chapel in honor of Saint Philomena.
To investigate this miraculous event, His Holiness instructed Pauline to remain in Rome for a year . It was during this time that Pauline became known as the Living Rosary . She then returned to France , where she dedicated the rest of her life to nurturing the faith.
Patron Saint Philomena
Because of the story of Saint Philomena , she is the protector of ladies who cannot have children, of infants, of the Rosary , of apprentices, of teenagers; her protection also covers complicated, distressed, considered impossible or lost causes; she can also be considered a leader or guide of young virgins, of women consecrated in body and spirit to the son of God, that is, to Jesus of Nazareth.
Her commemoration takes place every August 11th, and is considered a devotion of growing popularity. It began at the beginning of the nineteenth century in Italy , in the town of Mugnano , and since then its devotion has grown to the rest of the peoples of the world, since she is considered the miraculous saint, who was a martyr in defense of love for Jesus Christ , God and the Virgin Mary , of whom she is one of her favorite daughters.
Phrases of Saint Philomena
Even today, the story of Saint Philomena is considered a legend, and it is presumed that she lived at the beginning of the fourth century, and there is nothing written about her that says that she existed, it is very difficult to find records of things that she said, especially that can be verified, and spoken by her, however, as for the power of the Lord nothing is impossible, her words came with the revelations.
Her words were revealed to a priest, a craftsman, and a nun, all of them nineteenth-century Italians. No phrases can be gleaned from the revelations made to the craftsman, as his account focuses on the fury of Emperor Diocletian upon learning that he was rejected by the saint.
The cleric collaborated in deciphering the writings and symbols in the crypt, since the saint appeared to him one day while he was meditating in a solitary field. From what was revealed to him, the following phrase can be known: "There is so much to know about me that the world will not escape its fascination ," which suggests how miraculous she is.
Most of the saint's sayings come from the nun; Philomena spoke to her in the greatest detail . From these revelations arise the following sayings, which show us the path revealed in the stories of the first Christians, the Acts of the Apostles , the four Evangelists, and all those who work in faith and action for Christian doctrine:
- The perpetual estates of heaven are enigmatic to the human intellect.
- Affection for a human being is no excuse to offend Jesus Christ.
- Consecrating oneself to the Lord, in spirit and chastity, places affection for Jesus Christ above all objects and persons.
- Our domain must be heavenly.
- The Lord will give us a place in heaven, close to his heavenly presence.
Santoral
The saint's main liturgical feast day is commemorated on August 11th, although in her apparitions she mentions August 10th, the date of her martyrdom by the Roman tyrant and emperor Diocletian . Other dates on her feast day include January 10th, which celebrates her possible birth; her patronage, celebrated on the Sunday following January 10th; and the date on which her remains were transferred to the church on August 10th.
We must also take into account August 13th, the date on which her name is extolled, as well as the second Sunday of August, when solemn homage is paid to her, May 25th, when the discovery of the saint's tomb is remembered, and September 29th, when her arrival at the town of Mugnano in Naples is celebrated , where her first miracle consisted of making it rain.
Feast of Saint Philomena
It is traditional to celebrate Saint Philomena on August 11th, commemorating the day before the triumph of faith, regardless of the fact that the girl was martyred in the fourth century. In addition, on each key date in history, some kind of celebration is held in her honor, acts are performed to remember her birth, the discovery of her crypt, her revelations, and the day of her miracles.
Her feast day is also celebrated on January 30th, the day Gregory the Great canonized her and declared her worthy of public veneration. Although she was removed from the martyrology, her devotion continues to grow year after year. She is also known as the miracle worker, for the favors she grants to those who pray to her with faith, which ensures the continuation of her celebrations.
Saint Philomena, what is it for?
Philomena 's brief life on earth is a good example of how faith in the Lord comes before anything else in the world. It demonstrates that love for the Lord, the first commandment, is a promise of what awaits us in eternal heaven. Saint Philomena is an example that if we surrender ourselves to the Lord, we will have a privileged place in heaven.
This saint is the example of how faith can win over evil, it is the relief in complicated situations, alleviates despair, or solve injustices, serves as a mediator to heal the sick, is capable of healing illnesses, and for His intercession can achieve forgiveness of our sins.
Miracles of Saint Philomena
The saint's first miracle was her own birth, as her parents considered themselves barren and constantly performed pagan rituals in an attempt to conceive. The main healer, who was a Christian, prayed for them before the Lord, who granted them the miracle, and thus Philomena was born.
Having witnessed the true faith in the birth of their daughter, Philomena 's parents converted to Christianity and abandoned pagan practices. They raised their daughter as a devout Christian, and she grew up with a true faith. Thus, she was able to defend her faith during her martyrdom.
The saint's miracles encompass all possible ailments that afflict people; this is where her greatest glory lies. She manages to heal any disease, and she is famous for this. Furthermore, great prodigies were seen in her by angels when she was martyred in Rome.
According to historical reports, multiple miracles have taken place since the nineteenth century, including healing blindness, intestinal problems, fevers, serious illnesses, it is reported that the oil from its lamp in the sanctuary cures cancer. Upon his arrival at his sanctuary, he brought rain in a time of intense drought.
Another of the saint's miracles was having repaired the marble of her urn. It accidentally broke when they were covering the coffin, the architect in charge of the project was unable to repair the break, but according to witnesses, the saint's hand was seen guiding the professional's, when he was repairing the slab, getting it repaired.
Victoria Moya , a young woman from Guadalajara , was deeply saddened by her sister's incurable illness. Finding no relief from medicine, she prayed to Saint Philomena for her sister's health , ordering three services to be held in her honor and asking God for this grace through her intercession. Her prayer was answered.
On January 19, 1961, she gave well-deserved thanks at the Church of Saint Pius X in Guadalajara . Her sister had fully recovered her strength and, from then on, became a fervent devotee of Saint Philomena and a promoter of her devotion.
Prayer to Saint Philomena
These are extremely miraculous prayers, if they are recited with great faith and devotion they will surely be heard, she is the saint who protects moments of anguish, especially in the youngest.
Most holy, glorious, immaculate Saint Mary , permanent mother of your parishioners and devotees, be my mediator in obtaining forgiveness for my sins before our powerful heavenly Lord. Hear my prayers, which I humbly offer to you, in which I ask you, with all the faith I have, to heal me of this serious illness that afflicts my weary body.
In the same way I implore you, with all possible humility, holy virgin, give me the gifts of healing. Amen.
Holy Virgin Mary , I beseech you, let Saint Philomena , your beloved descendant, intercede in my case, with all the power of the Lord, so that I may be healed of this terrible affliction, a disorder that prevents me from living. Saint Philomena , blessed one, support me, I implore you, to cease suffering from this painful illness. Work your powerful goodness in me, so that this evil may cease completely. With faith, I give you thanks. Amen.
Saint Philomena and her relics
The relics of Saint Philomena were moved from their original tomb, discovered in 1802 in an old Roman cemetery, to the city of Naples , where Father Francesco de Lucia kept them safe in a library until they could be taken to his village of Mugnano , located on the outskirts of Naples. In September of 1805, the saint's remains arrived in the village.
Father Francisco de Lucia moved the relics under the ecclesiastical authority of Rome , with a permission that was given to him because at the time no one knew the young saint, and it was this priest who helped with the interpretation of the signs printed on the tombstone, which indicated that said crypt belonged to a Christian martyr from the early years of Christianity.
The relics were carefully placed in five boxes and delivered to the local church, arriving in September of 1805. They remain there to this day, and it is from there that devotion to the saint has spread throughout the world. The shrine of Saint Philomena is currently located in Mugnano del Cardinale . To learn more about these topics, you can read the prayer to Our Lady of Mercy.
Miraculous Prayer to Saint Philomena
Saint Philomena is considered extremely miraculous in healing illnesses when prayers are recited to her with great faith. This is one of the most effective prayers for this purpose; you will surely obtain the saint's favor, which explains the steady growth of her veneration since the nineteenth century.
My great Lord, the only true God of heaven, I beg you, with great humility, to intercede for me, with your miraculous strength, so that all my problems are solved, especially illnesses, omnipotent Lord, allow your beloved daughter Saint Philomena, may my pleas reach you, because you are a saint of my devotion and to whom I turn seeking a speedy healing, God Almighty, thank you. Amen.
Dear Saint Philomena, before your sanctified and powerful presence I beg you, to help me overcome this fatal situation, exercise in me all your strength that is a prodigy, so that the help of Saint Gabriel the Archangel may remove all my ills, and that this evil, flee from my body, I still beg you, intercede on my behalf, so that God forgives me for the mistakes I have committed, and I promise to continue along the path of faith. Amen.
Daily prayer to Saint Philomena
Oh wonderful Saint Philomena, great devotee, who with great courage defended your faith, before you I prostrate, with great humility, to request, with all my love, that you put me away today, and every day, from evil and things that can harm me, that injustice does not affect me, help me with your powers to perform miracles, to be free from my enemies.
Great saint, take away from me the lack of hope, and may faith be renewed in me every day, for God, for Jesus and for the Virgin Mary, I thank you. So be it.
Beloved and holy, chaste girl, who with great courage defended your faith, you have a privileged seat in the celestial kingdom, give me strength to achieve, using your great and prodigious gifts, the goals I want to achieve daily, help me in my needs, Saint Philomena, I beg you, and intercede for my humanity, before the great goodness of our Lord, so that he may bless my days and forgive my sins. Amen.
Novena to Saint Philomena
As in every novena, a previous prayer must be said daily, this is part of the ritual of any Catholic novena, a daily recitation is made to prepare, and then the novena of the corresponding day is recited, for Saint Philomena it is the following:
Beloved virgin and martyr saint Philomena, God reserved you as a great devotee, with his magnanimous wisdom, for these stormy days that are full of lack of piety, to restore faith in human beings, sustain hope, and inflame charity. Saint Philomena, whom God has invested with a singular power of intercession for the glory of his holy name and for the benefit of the Church.
Martyred in the name of the father and full of blessings. She receives my pleas with your gracious protection and take care of me with your strength and relevance before God. Here I am at your feet pleading, but with full confidence, recognizing in you a great advocate and protector of the poor and all the afflicted. But for me to be worthy of this favor, reach me that virginal purity for which you have sacrificed everything.
Give me strength and determination, the same that you had during your martyrdom, to clothe my spirit with courage, you who were great in protecting your faith and your chastity, I beg you to make me strong, and give me courage so that my spirit comes out free of everything bad and spotless. Along with these supplications, I beg you, with all the fervor of my soul, to obtain me from God.
Make him grant me the favor I request with this novena, intercede before him so that he looks towards me and helps me. Blessed Jesus, who is your spiritual husband, for whose love you suffered martyrdom and died, will not deny you if you ask him for me. Yes, innocent virgin and courageous martyr! The good God who said: “ask and you shall receive” will not deny you anything, and then the infallibility of these generous promises will be realized in me. Amen.
- First day: Saint Philomena, martyred virgin, you lived in a time full of adoration of pagan idols, and despite everything you professed a genuine faith. Wise girl, that at your young age you consecrated yourself body and soul to the Lord. I beg you to attend me and make the Lord grant the requests. Oh most pure and holy Philomena.
- Second day: O famous invulnerable virgin martyr Saint Philomena! You, who out of love for the Lord, suffered acute torments and shed all your chaste blood, and granted your sensitive and innocent life, in heroic proof of the truth of the Christian religion that I myself have the honor to profess, present God in my favor all your martyrdoms.
- Third day: Venerable Filomena, irreproachable and martyr full of strength! You, despite being a girl, shone with vigorous spirit the ardor of your submissive and firm prayer. Fortified with it, you defeated the threats of the unjust monarch after having rejected his most flattering offers. Prayer helped you to prefer the discomforts of a prison, than being unfaithful to the Lord.
- Fourth day: Blessed Filomena, martyred full of courage! That you tolerated many shameful degradations when you were thrown through the public streets of Rome among the pagan people, always desirous of the blood of believers and where you left shreds of your virginal flesh. With exemplary resignation you endured the flagellar executioners, with steel-tipped whips, your delicate and youthful body.
- Fifth day: Blessed Filomena, irreproachable and martyr grown in constancy! You, with your heroic stoicism in the martyrdoms, put an end to the anger of your butchers and tired their bloody hands. God wanted to heal you to redouble your battles and multiply your triumphs. Even when you were again in front of the tyrant you did not give in, intercede before the lord on my behalf.
- Sixth day: Dear saint. You were sentenced to be thrown into the river, an anchor was tied to your neck; But the Lord sent his angelic ones to break the anchor and take it away from you, and in his arms you reached the beach without harm. This was another of your prodigies and pray for them before God.
- Seventh day: Dear saint. Your constancy and faith, and the unflappable conviction of your chastity, were the cause that the wicked made you a new torment, your tied body was pierced by arrows. They took you almost lifeless to your cell and there during your sleep the Lord healed you of all your wounds. The love of the Lord healed you.
- Eighth day: Blessed Saint Philomena. You were driven by the wrath of the wicked to the torment of flaming arrows, which were to end your existence on earth. But the great power of the Lord deflected the arrows and they hit the humanity of the archers. God protected you with his divine grace, he intercedes for me before his divine presence.
- Ninth day: Dear and virginal girl. You culminated your battle for the defense of the faith with one last martyrdom. Seeing himself in desperation to humiliate you, he sent the executioner to cut your throat, and your head was separated from your holy body. At that moment your impeccable soul flew to heaven where it is next to the father, as his favorite daughter. Because you were good, devoted and chaste.
At the end of each of the nine recitations, one must pray an Our Father and a Hail Mary ; it is at this moment that one asks for whatever one wants the saint to grant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRUVM5OqZo
Singing to Saint Philomena
The story of Saint Philomena , despite lacking concrete evidence, is one of those that has most rapidly gained followers worldwide, as she is attributed with a great power to perform miracles. Miracles of almost every kind are attributed to her; even considering only her great power to comfort the afflicted, she is recognized for many things.
They come to her to seek relief for both body and soul sorrows, which is why they can ask her for favors, both with a rosary and with a song. She will listen as long as it is done with great faith, and she is not asked to cause harm to another person, it must always be to remedy some injustice or evil.
Church of Santa Filomena Patronage
The sanctuary of Saint Philomena has lay authority over the people of Mugnano , over the living rosary and over the congregation of the protectorship of the children of Mary , over the confraternity of Saint Philomena , the fraternity of Saint Philomena , institutions that promote the life and miraculous works of Saint Philomena in her locality and around the world.
This church houses the true remains of the saint since 1805 and is the religious epicenter that has been dedicated to spreading devotion to this virgin. Churches dedicated to the saint have been built in other parts of the world, such as the Church of Saint Philomena in Santiago , Chile ; the Cathedral of Saint Philomena in Mysore , India ; and the Temple of Saint Pius X in Mexico , which includes a chapel dedicated to Saint Philomena.
Church of Santa Filomena in Monterrey
The temple of the saint in the town of Monterrey, Mexico, is a simple and beautiful church built for the veneration of this virgin, it represents the current of promotion of the cult of the virgin in Mexico , although its activities are localized, such as masses, prayers and patron saint festivals in homage to Saint Philomena, it has the peculiarity of having, very small parts of the relics of Saint Philomena.
These small relics that they have, are a bit of hair and a piece of their clothing, with this they have collaborated to reinforce the devotion to the miraculous virgin, and are exhibited in a special container, visible to all visitors, to who has granted him many miracles. These belongings of the saint serve to give strength and confidence to the devotees.
Temple of Santa Filomena in Guadalajara
In this city, there is actually a chapel dedicated to Saint Philomena , located within the Church of Pope Pius X in Guadalajara, Morelos, Mexico . This Byzantine-style building is situated in the train station known as Santa Filomena. It is a place frequently visited by devotees of the saint, who even refer to it as the Church of Saint Philomena.
Controversy
The story of Saint Philomena was supposedly told by the saint herself to the servant of God, Maria Luisa de Jesús , or rather, it is attributed to the saint. This legend is highly questionable, and some maintain that it is false, as it contains serious historical and hagiographical errors, and is even inconsistent with the narrative itself.
The events clearly bear a strong resemblance to medieval legends of other well-known martyrs. The story of Saint Philomena contains many anachronistic elements, which undermine its veracity. Despite these doubts, the saint still has followers, as numerous miracles are attributed to her. Among the questionable claims are:
- It shows the girl as the heiress of some Greek monarchs, who came to the world on the island of Corfu, but by the historical moment of birth, there was no longer any Greek kingdom, the -Polis de Corcyra It had been dissolved in one hundred and forty-eight BC, that is four hundred years before the accounts. The Roman empire was already consolidated by the time.
- In practically all the stories of the martyrs, it is said that they could not conceive, and that when they became Christians God He made them the miracle of having a son. This was very commonly used by the medievals to convince the populace that martyrs were miraculous from conception.
- the name Filomena indeed it is from Greece and it means “who loves singing”, is the name that the ancients gave to the bird currently known as the nightingale, it has nothing to do with "philia luminis" The explanation for this is simple, the legend picks up the theory of those who composed the broken tombstone, to create the name "filumena".
- It makes no sense that the emperor Diocletian declared war on a country that already belonged to the Roman Empire, it should also be noted that this ruler was never widowed, his wife Prisca it survived him several years after his death.
- Diocletian ruled the empire from Ravenna, was never in the seat of government in Rome, then it is impossible for him to meet with the saint's father.
- By the time of the alleged birth of Filomena, baptism was not practiced among Christians, like the Marian cult, it was not put into practice until several centuries later, then it is impossible that the girl was baptized at birth, much less that she had knowledge of the virgin.
- In the Roman Empire there were no cells in the palaces.
- The revelation, in theory, was made by the saint herself, but it varies from first to third person many times throughout the narrative.
- The anchors were very expensive at the time of the story, and they were cared for as a very precious asset, they would never have been used to torture lawbreakers, there were very effective and cheaper methods.
All of this is an indication that this story of Saint Philomena was invented to encourage pious and devout behavior towards the saint, based on the symbols found on the tombstone of a crypt in the catacomb where the body was discovered. The imprimatur given by the church to this legend only means that it contains no doctrines contrary to the faith, and does not oblige its faithful to believe in it.
Historicity and recent research
In recent times, a series of investigations have been carried out to clarify information about the identity and true history of Saint Philomena . An investigation conducted in 2005 at the request of the then Bishop of Nola , Giovanni Braschi , concluded that all indications pointed to the saint's death at the beginning of the second century.
According to this study, the date was approximately 200 to 202 AD, revealing the falsity of the 19th-century history that placed it during the reign of Diocletian , and showing that her martyrdom occurred during the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus. To learn more about these topics, you can consult the prayer to the Holy Child of Atocha.
Specialists today affirm that the doubts surrounding her life and the fantastic legend fabricated around her remains are not enough for them to stop venerating her, they can instead be used as evidence to ensure the veracity and legitimacy of her cult. defending the fact that Saint Philomena was one more martyr in the history of Christianity.
It is often considered that the mere courage to give her life for the Lord is more than enough for her to be venerated, but the truth is that the entire story of Saint Philomena , except for her martyrdom, has been disproven. What is important is that she was a Christian martyr and should remain in the annals of the martyrs of that era; the recognition of the miracles performed by the saint is a separate matter.