The story
of St. Philomena is very inspiring. On May 25, 1802, excavators in
rome came upon a well preserved shelf tomb sealed with terra-cotta slabs
in the manner usually reserved for nobility or great martyrs. The
tomb was marked with three tiles with inscription on them. It was
very confusing at first because the words inscribed were: Lumena/Paxte/Cumfi.
In this order it did not make much sense. However, if they are arranged
so that the first tile was last and the words are separated properly, this
sentence emerges: Pax tecum, Filumena which translates to "Peace
be with you Philomena." Also inscribed on the tiles were symbols
of a lily, arrows, an anchor and a lance which would indicate virginity
and martyrdom. In side the coffin, the remains of a young girl (about
twelve or thirteen years of age) with a vial of her dried blood were discovered.
The coffin
and its remains along with the terra cotta tiles were then transferred
to the Treasury of the Rare Collection of Christian Antiquity in the Vatican.
Little was done with it and it was soon forgotten by the public because
there were no records of a virgin martyr by the name of Philomena.
However, in 1805, a Neapolitan priest, Don Francesco di Lucia, was traveling
to rome with his newly appointed bishop and he requested the relics of
this martyr to be enshrined in his village church at Mugnano, near Naples.
After a short delay, this request was granted to him.
Immediately
upon the official donation of St. Philomena's sacred remains, signal favors
began to be granted through her intercession and unusual events to occur.
The favors, graces and even miracles started to increase, even before her
enshrinement at Mugnano and they steadily grew in number thereafter.
Soon this virgin martyr earned the title "Philomena, Powerful with God."
In 1837, only 35 years after her exhumation, Pope Gregor XVI elevated this
"Wonder Worker of the Nineteenth Century" to sainthood. In an act
unprecedented in Catholic history, she became the only person recognized
by the Church as a Saint solely on the basis of her powerful intercession,
since nothing historical was known of her except her name and the evidence
of her martyrdom.
St. Philomena
has been successfully invoked by her supplicants in every sort of need,
such that she has become another patron of "hopeless" and "impossible"
cases like St. Jude or St. Rita, but she is known to be especially powerful
in cases involving conversion of sinners, return to the Sacraments, expectant
mothers, problems with children, unhappiness in the home, sterility, priests
and their work, help for the sick, the missions real estate, money problems,
food for the poor and mental illness. But, truly, as her devotees
have discovered, no case, of whatever matter, is too trivial or too unimportant
to concern her.
Many saints
and popes are most devoted to St. Philomena. Truly she is a powerful
intercessor - - seemingly held quietly in reserve by our Divine Lord during
these many centuries - - for especially strong help in our times, when
so much confusion and absence of faith are manifest.
St Philomena is usually pictured with an anchor, a lance and an arrow as was inscribed on the terra cotta tyles on her coffin. She is also usually holding some flowers and has a wreath of flowers on her head. Her principal feast day is August 11.
St. Philomena,
powerful with God, please pray for us!
Novena Prayer
to St. Philomena
O Faithful Virgin and glorious martyr, St. Philomena, who works so many miracles on behalf of the poor and sorrowing, have pity on me. Thou knowest the multitude and diversity of my needs. Behold me at thy feet, full of misery, but full of hope. I entreat thy charity, O great Saint! Graciously hear me and obtain from God a favorable answer to the request which I now humbly lay before thee... (Here specify your petition.) I am firmly convinced that through thy merits, through the scorn, the sufferings and the death thou didst endure, united to the merits of the passion and death of Jesus, thy Spouse, I shall obtain what I ask of thee, and in the joy of my heart I will bless God, who is admirable in His Saints. Amen
