By CAROLE BRESLIN
In the history of the Catholic Church there have been many persons who have been declared saints because they lived heroic lives, suffered for the faith, or died rather than deny Christ. Subsequent to their deaths, miracles through their intercession confirmed their saintliness. There is one saint, however, about whom nothing was known until after her death. In fact, nothing about her was passed down through history until her remains were discovered centuries later.
Philomena is believed to have been a young Greek princess who was martyred in the fourth century. In the early 19th century, as the tombs were being excavated along the Via Salaria in Rome, one was found to be sealed with terracotta slabs, indicating that a person of nobility or a great martyr lay within. The discovery was made on May 25, 1802.
Engraved on the slab placed over the tomb were three words: Lumena Paxte Cumfe. Experts believe these words meant, “Peace be with you, Philomena.” In addition to the three words, three symbols were engraved on the slab as well. One was a picture of two anchors, another was a palm, and the third was three arrows. Together these indicate the person in the tomb was both a virgin and a martyr.
Likewise this indicated that the person was highly regarded by early Christians — a person of extraordinary holiness. Examination of the bones from the tomb revealed that they belonged to a 14-year-old girl. In addition to her bones, the tomb contained a vial of her blood.
The cult of this previously unknown saint spread quickly throughout the 19th century because so many miracles occurred through her intercession. On August 10, 1805, her relics were transferred to Mugnano, a hill town near Naples and the home of Canon de Lucia.
This transfer was brought about by a young priest, Canon Francis de Lucia of Mugnano, who served in the Vatican for the Treasury of the Rare Collection of Christian Antiquity. When he examined the relics of St. Philomena, he felt a surge of spiritual joy. Thus, he requested permission to have the relics enshrined in a chapel in his hometown.
The relics were transferred from Rome to Mugnano, accompanied by Bishop Bartolomeo de Cesare and Canon Francis. More miracles occurred along the way. The mother of a blind boy dipped her finger in the oil of the lamp near Philomena’s relics and anointed her son’s eyes — he gained his sight immediately. When the relics were placed on the cancerous ulcer of a noble lady, the ulcer disappeared.
The Venerable Pauline Jaricot, founder of the Society of the Propagation of the Faith and the Living Rosary Association, also benefited from St. Philomena’s intercession. Pauline was suffering from a life-threatening illness. When she arrived at the Shrine of St. Philomena she was miraculously healed.
Because of these miracles — and many more — she became known as “The Wonder Worker.” Her cult spread, aided by the support of many Popes. Pope Leo XII approved the building of altars and chapels in her honor. When the miracle of Pauline Jaricot was approved, Pope Gregory XVI issued a decree authorizing public veneration of St. Philomena.
Pope Pius IX named Philomena the patroness of children, while Pope Leo XIII raised the Confraternity of St. Philomena to an archconfraternity and approved the Cord of St. Philomena. Pope Pius X also urged an increase in devotion to the young girl.
There are also many saints who developed a great devotion to St. Philomena: St. John Marie Vianney, the Curé of Ars; St. Peter Louis Marie Chanel; St. Peter Julian Marie Eymard; St. John Neumann; St. Frances Xavier Cabrini; St. Pio of Pietrelcina; and St. Damien de Veuster of Molokai.
There is an account of the life of St. Philomena in circulation, but its credibility is questionable. The Church has said these revelations received by a nun in Naples are “entirely fanciful and an indefensible explanation of paintings near the tomb — they are a purely fictitious and romantic account of the martyrdom of St. Philomena.”
According to this account, Philomena was born on Corfu, a Greek island near the western border of Albania. Her parents were pagan rulers of the Greek state who longed for a child but remained barren. After embracing the Catholic faith, they conceived Philomena, naming her “Daughter of Light, Princess of Corfu.”
Since Diocletian, the Roman emperor, threatened an unjust war with the Greeks, Philomena’s father made a journey to Rome accompanied by his family to seek peace. Philomena was 13 years old at the time of this trip. She possessed great interior and exterior beauty. Sadly, when the family was ushered into the presence of Diocletian, he became enthralled with her beauty and decided to take her as his wife. However, Philomena had promised herself to God and rejected his overtures. Enraged by her refusal he ordered her chained and thrown into a dungeon.
Over the next year she was repeatedly tortured and threatened with death. By the grace of God, she persevered in faithfulness to Him. Finally, Diocletian had her bound to a pillar and scourged just as Pilate had done to Jesus. When the emperor saw how badly wounded she was, he sent her back to prison, thinking that she would die.
As Philomena lingered, as badly beaten as she was, she still refused the emperor. As she hung on to life, many witnessed her steadfast commitment to Jesus and converted to the Christian faith. This further angered Diocletian. Her persistent refusal of his proposal drove him to order an anchor tied around her neck and to have her thrown into the river.
Once again she did not die. Her perseverance increased the emperor’s determination to marry her or kill her. When she refused once again, he ordered her to be shot with arrows and, yes, once again she survived. Throughout these terrible ordeals her serene countenance converted even more persons to Christianity.
In the end, the murderous rage of Diocletian prevailed and he had her beheaded. She died in the fourth century during his reign (284-305). Once again we must remember that the Church considers this fanciful.
The feast of St. Philomena took place on August 11 before the revision of the Roman calendar in 1961. Although her name was removed from the liturgical calendar, this does not mean a complete end to her sainthood. The shrine near Naples is still open for the veneration of her relics.
Dear St. Philomena, thank you for your favors so plentifully bestowed on those who venerate you. Please continue to intercede for our physical and spiritual healing. Amen.
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(Carole Breslin home-schooled her four daughters and served as treasurer of the Michigan Catholic Home Educators for eight years. For over ten years, she was national coordinator for the Marian Catechists, founded by Fr. John A. Hardon, SJ.)
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