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St. Philomena is a very unusual case. On May 24, 1802, in the Catacombs

of Priscilla, a tomb was found containing the bones of a girl about 14

years of age. On top of the tomb were three tiles which were inscribed

with "Pax Tecum Filumena" "Peace with you, Philomena"). Also found was a

small glass vial containing dried blood. All this seemed to indicate that

this was the tomb of a girl named Philomena who was martyred.


The remains were boxed and placed in storage until 1805 when a priest

named Francesco De Lucia requested relics for a new altar for his church

in Mugnano del Cardinale. He was given the remains of Philomena. Soon

after, devotion to the little saint spread throughout Europe, especially

in Italy and France. Miracles began to be reported and even St. John

Vianney made note of a miracle and built a shrine to her in his church in

Ars.


The only evidence we have for Philomena are her bones, the vial of blood

and the inscribed tiles. The information about her life came from private

revelations to two individuals where her life and death are spelled out.


Pope Gregory XVI gave permission on January 13, 1837, for public

veneration of Philomena in some limited places but not throughout the

Church. This was interpretted by some as an act of canonization for

Philomena, which it was not. The name of Philomena was never included in

the Roman Martyrology, the official list of saints recognized by the

Catholic Church.

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10y ago

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