Who
is Philomena?
- The young saint after whom
this web zine is named!
- Read all about her below.
- (Taken from Catholic
Online Saints.)
| 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. |
|
born
?died 304 a.d.
Feastday: August 11
Patroness of the Living Rosary
Patroness of the Children of Mary
|