Happy Feastday of Saint Philomena! When I was twelve years old, a nun named Sister Philomena Therese, O.P., loaned me a book about this saint, and Saint Philomena and I have been best friends ever since. :)

My husband and I were not blessed with children for many years, so on our 10th wedding anniversary in 2005, we travelled to her shrine in Mugnano del Cardinale, near Avellino, Italy, to pray for a baby.

 

Having seen pictures of it for many years, my dream came true when we were able to visit the shrine. In broken Italian, I asked a "worker-man" to place our picture on St. Philomena's altar, below the figure that holds her remains, as a sign of our prayer for a "bambina". Here it is...with our wedding photo in the lower right.

This doll-like figure of Saint Philomena is not the art form that I personally prefer, but Saint Philomena appears to be pleased by the great devotion of the people, because many, many miracles have taken place here. The figure itself has been known to change position, although the case is double and even triple-locked.

So on June 10, 2005, we placed our picture there and prayed fervently that St. Philomena would intercede with God to send us a baby. In 2006, our first daughter was born, and in 2007, our second daughter was born. Our second was even due on the Feast of the Finding of the Relics of St. Philomena, May 25th! It was as if Saint Philomena was sending us a little nudge...reminding us that our "Philomena Girls" had come through her intercession!

She has performed so many miracles that she is known as "the Wonder Worker," but here is one of my favorites, related in Cecily Hallack's book Wonder Worker: Saint Philomena, Virgin Martyr.

A poor woman, Teresa Bovini, had no clothes ready for her baby who was soon to be born. She asked St. Philomena to let it be a little girl, who would be named after her if only she would provide some clothes for it. A little girl it was, but when it arrived Philomena had still provided no clothes. The mother was so distressed that the nurse, to quiet her, took off her own white neckerchief and wrapped the baby with it. The mother said there might be a rag which would do for a swaddle in a certain old trunk. When the trunk was opened, there was a complete layette, fine and beautifully folded, giving forth an unknown perfume which filled the hearts of the two women with heavenly consolation. The baby was carried triumphantly away in its celestial finery, to be christened 'Philomena'.

The next night, Teresa was roused by her baby's murmur. She put out her hand, but the baby was no longer beside her. Anxiously, she moved. There was a light in the room. On a chair was a girl of about fourteen, dressed in white and all shining, holding the baby in her arms, caressing her lovingly. In confusion, joy and gratitude, the mother exclaimed, 'O St. Philomena!' She could utter no more. Philomena kissed the baby, laid it beside its mother and disappeared.

This lovely statue of St. Philomena with the Cure of Ars, St. John Marie Vianney, is also found in the Shrine of St. Philomena at Mugnano, Italy.

Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us!