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The Saint of Miracles
In 1802, some archaeologists discovered a tomb in the catacombs of Saint Priscilla in Rome. Inside the tomb were the remains of a young girl and a vial of dried blood.
Affixed to the tomb were three terracotta slabs with Latin inscriptions, which, when assembled, read PAX TECUM FILUMENA, “Peace be with you, Philomena.” There were also symbols such as a lily, arrows, an anchor, and a palm, identifying her as a Roman virgin martyr from the early days of Christianity, following in the footsteps of saints Agatha, Lucy, Agnes, and Cecilia.
The bones were studied by archaeologists without much fanfare. Nothing was known except her name and the fact that she was a virgin martyr who died in the 4th century.
Three years later, a priest from Mugnano, Francesco De Lucia, was in Rome when he learned of the discovery. He was struck by Philomena, and his request to have her relics transferred to the church of Our Lady of Graces in Mugnano was approved.
Soon, miracles were reported at the tomb. News of the healing of Blessed Pauline Jaricot, who recovered from a serious heart illness, was widely spread.
At the same time, three different mystics in various parts of the world began to receive details of Saint Philomena’s life through private revelations. The most significant was a vision received by Sister Maria Luisa of Jesus in 1833, in which it was revealed that Emperor Diocletian wanted to marry the 13-year-old Philomena. When she refused, she was subjected to torture, although she never repented.
In 1827, Pope Leo XII donated the three terracotta slabs from the original tomb in the Roman catacomb to the church of Mugnano del Cardinale, which had by then become a sanctuary.
Because of the numerous miracles that had taken place at her tomb, Pope Gregory XVI declared Philomena a saint. Canonization in this way—based fundamentally on miraculous intercession—was extraordinary.
Over the decades, kings and queens, saints and blesseds, poor and rich have traveled to Mugnano to seek the intercession of Saint Philomena: Leo XII, Gregory XVI, Pius IX who celebrated Mass at her altar on November 7, 1849, Leo XIII, Pius X, the servant of God Pauline Jaricot, the servant of God Maria Cristina of Savoy, Blessed Bartolo Longo and Padre Pio of Pietrelcina, the Curé of Ars, Jean-Marie Vianney who encouraged his parishioners to seek her intercession.
Many graces have been asked of her and just as many have been granted. Let us pray the novena and surely her powerful intercession will satisfy us.
Altar that preserves the body of Saint Philomena
Altar that holds the body of Saint Philomena
Saint Philomena
Saint Philomena
This is the entire revelation made by Saint Philomena to Sister Maria Luisa of Jesus on August 3, 1833.
Sister Maria Luisa of Jesus (born Maria Carmela Ascione)
Sister Maria Luisa of Jesus (born Maria Carmela Ascione)
On August 3, 1833, Sister Maria Luisa of Jesus, a 34-year-old nun from a retreat in Naples, was looking at a statuette of St. Philomena in her room, saying to herself: "On the 10th of this month, the arrival of the body of this Saint is celebrated in Mugnano."
The Saint deigned to speak to her and said: “God arranged that my remains should be brought to Mugnano on the 10th, so that by celebrating my arrival, the day of my martyrdom would also be celebrated, because on August 10, one hour after noon, Diocletian had my head cut off.”
The Religious told her Confessor, who commended the matter to God, and then said to her: "Well then, ask St. Philomena to tell you her whole life".
The Religious replied: "I will obey, but if the Saint does not wish to answer me, there is nothing I can do."
In the evening the Religious knelt before the statuette, and after reciting three Creeds and three Glorias, she heard the Saint say the following: “I am the daughter of a King of Greece. My parents were sterile. A Roman doctor named Publius came to us. My parents called him to find out the cause of their sterility.
This doctor was a Christian. Sire, he replied to my father, If you want to have children, you must receive holy Baptism and embrace the Catholic Religion. My relatives immediately agreed; they had themselves instructed, received holy Baptism with their confidants. A year later I was born, and they named me Philomena. Because of this, many families in the kingdom became Catholic. I grew up with a Christian education; at 5 years old I made my First Communion, at 11 I made a vow of virginity to God. When I reached the age of 13, Emperor Diocletian declared war on my father, who was forced to go to Rome to negotiate peace and avoid war, and he wanted me and my mother to go with him.
When we arrived in Rome we found Diocletian at the Baths Palace. As soon as he saw me, he promised my father peace and his protection, on the condition that he give me to him as a wife. My father agreed, and after we left him he spoke to me about it, but I replied: I cannot, because I have consecrated my virginity to Jesus Christ.
My father and mother pleaded with me incessantly, saying: have pity on your father and mother and your homeland, and I replied: My father is God, my homeland is Heaven.
My father went to him and said: Philomena does not want to marry.
The Emperor said to him: "Bring the young girl here, I will have her persuaded by the Roman ladies." My father was forced and brought me. The emperor received me with all kindness, and then entrusted me to the Roman ladies and my father and mother had to leave.
Those ladies did everything they could to persuade me to accept marriage with Diocletian, but seeing my firmness they reported to the Emperor, who wanted me in his presence, and seeing himself disappointed in his hopes because I was inflexible to all promises, he said to me: "If you do not want me as a lover, you will experience me as a tyrant".
I replied: I do not care for you as a lover, nor do I fear you as a tyrant. The Emperor, enraged, ordered that I be locked in prison, and every 24 hours I was given bread and water.
After 37 days the Most Holy Virgin appeared to me, and said to me: "Dear daughter, you will remain in this prison for 40 days, and then you will be subjected to various martyrdoms; but the Archangel Gabriel and your Guardian Angel will assist you, and you will come out victorious." After 40 days I was exposed naked to scourging, from which I came out all wounded and half dead and was thrown into prison. But God soon healed me, and the next day they found me completely healthy.
The Emperor, hearing all that had happened, had me questioned again if I wanted him as a husband, but hearing the refusal renewed, he became even more enraged, and ordered that I be shot with arrows.
Again I was taken to prison all wounded and covered in blood. In the morning those who thought I was already dead found me healthy and rosy, singing psalms in praise of God, for during the night my body had been anointed with fragrant ointment by an Angel, so I was perfectly healed. Then it was ordered that I be shot again with burning arrows, but as soon as I was tied up I was taken into ecstasy and the arrows instead of wounding my body, turned back and killed six archers.
At this miracle, by order of the Emperor, an anchor was taken, tied around my neck and I was thrown into the Tiber; but the Angels broke the anchor's ropes, and made me pass through on dry ground. The people, seeing this other miracle, began to shout to the executioners: "She is free, she is free", but they, for fear of a popular uprising, beheaded me. This happened on Friday, August 10, one hour after noon.”
Pilgrims from all over the world come to the Sanctuary to pray at the altar of Saint Philomena
Pilgrims from all over the world come to the Sanctuary to pray at the altar of Saint Philomena
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