St. Philomena, was a young girl martyr, or so a revelation by a early Church canon founded. She was a young girl of 13-15 and was raised a saint by the works of miracles attributed to her by those who had devotion to her. Here is what we know about St. Philomena.....
In 1802, the bones of a female between the ages of 13 and 15 were discovered in the catacomb of St. Priscilia. An inscription near her tomb read "Peace be with thee, Philomena", along with drawings of 2 anchors, 3 arrows and a palm. Near her bones was discovered a small glass vial, containing the remains of blood. Because it was a popular custom of the early martyrs to leave symbols and signs such as these, it was easily determined that St. Philomena was a virgin and a martyr. Her popularity soon became widespread, with her most memorable devotees being St. John Vianney, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, St. Peter Eymard, and St. Peter Chanel. After being miraculously cured, Ven. Pauline Jaricot insisted that Pope Gregory XVI begin an examination for the beatification of St. Philomena, who was to become known as the "wonder worker". After hundreds of other miraculous cures, she was beatified in 1837. St. Philomena, who the pope named as the Patroness of the Living Rosary and the Patroness of the Children of Mary, is the only person recognized as a saint solely on the basis of her powerful intercession, although pertinent revelations regarding her life have been recorded. Her relics are now preserved in Mugnano, Italy.
2 comments:
My mothers confirmation name is Philomena. When we were children my sister and I thought it was a funny name.
St. Philomena is our dear intercessor! She is truly Powerful With God! And, she has a wonderful sense of humor, to boot (as does St. Anne, we have found). To know her is to love her! Our 7th child is one of her namesakes.
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