The memorial for St. Philomena is today, August. 11.
Saint. John Vianney, whom we just honored on August 4th, had a dear devotion to St. Philomena, his “dear little saint”. He attributed many miracles to her intercession. He even had a chapel in his parish in Ars, France, dedicated to St. Philomena and encouraged his parishioners to pray with her for healing, conversions, and other intentions for other graces.
Saint John Vianney had a painting commissioned that is said to be an exact likeness of how St. Philomena looked when she appeared to him.
St. Philomena was Greek princess, who at the age of 13 took a vow of virginity. That same year, 304 AD, she refused to marry Emperor Diocletian of Rome. He had her thrown in jail and tortured ultimately leading to her death – a martyr for their faith.
Legend tells us that when she was in prison, St. Philomena had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who revealed her fate to her. Mary promised heavenly glory and protection when she endured tortures. Stories handed down from generation to generation tell us that the young girl was brutally beaten and left untreated in her cell to die, but angels healed her wounds with a heavenly balm. Then Emperor ordered an anchor be tied to her neck and her thrown in the water to drown. That attempt was also unsuccessful when angels placed her back on land, alive and breathing. Archers were sent to kill her, but like a boomerang, the arrows soared by to the men, killing them instead. The emperor then had her decapitated. She died in Rome, on August 10, 304 AD.
