The existence of Saint Philomena
Discovery of bones and inscription
In 1802, during official excavations undertaken under the authority of the Holy See, the bones of a young girl were discovered in the Roman catacomb of Priscilla, whose tomb was closed by three bricks bearing this inscription: “LUMENA / PAX TE / CUM FI”. It was judged that, inadvertently, the order of the bricks had been reversed and that it should read: “PAX TE / CUM FI / LUMENA”, that is to say: “Peace be with you, Philomena”, name meaning “beloved”. The various decorative signs which surrounded her name – especially the palm and the spears – led us to consider these bones as those of a martyr from the first Christian centuries. It was then thought that the majority of bodies present in the Catacombs dated from the Roman persecutions of the Apostolic era.
Difficulty of identification and dating
Several researchers (Marucchi-Leclercq) concluded that the bones should be more surely attributed to a deceased woman from the 4th century, at a time when mass burials were carried out in the catacombs and tombs were closed with pieces of stone. ancient epitaphs found on site. Mgr Trochu, biographer of the holy Curé, showed the fragility of this hypothesis and opted for an ancient date, close to the apostolic age; from the point of view of historical science, nothing is definitively decided. Today, we can say that the existence of Saint Philomena is neither more nor less proven – historically – than that of other saints officially venerated in the Church (Saint George, for example). The attestation of numerous miracles and the widespread piety among many faithful and pastors – notably that of the Curé of Ars – are not decisive proofs from the point of view of historical science. However, they encourage us to respect the memory of the woman whose bones were discovered two hundred years ago.
Statue of St. Philomena
The biography of Saint Philomena
The relationship of Dom François di Lucia
The stories about the life of Saint Philomena are based only on two recent “sources”. First, Dom François di Lucia, priest of Nole in the Naples region. In 1805, he became the holder of the relics and in 1824 wrote a “Relation”, a sort of “biography” of Saint Philomena, whom he made a martyr of the persecution of Diocletian in the 4th century. His story was written solely from the interpretation of the decorative signs surrounding the inscription: thus the virgin martyr would have been first pierced with arrows (spears), then thrown into the Tiber (anchor) before being decapitated by the sword, etc.
The visions of Sister Marie-Louise of Jesus
The most detailed source of the “life” of Saint Philomena is constituted by the visions of a Neapolitan nun, Sister Marie-Louise of Jesus, who may have been inspired by the book of Dom Lucia. An “abbreviated account” of his revelations was published by Dom Lucia himself in 1833. The book obtained the Imprimatur of the Holy Office (which has since become the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith); which does not guarantee the authenticity of the visions, but attests that nothing in the text is contrary to faith and morals. This “biography” takes up most of the elements common to the history of the virgin martyrs of the first centuries of the Christian era; it also inspired the painter Borel to create the interior frescoes of the Basilica of Ars. But the transcription of a private revelation is not guaranteed by the Church.
A provisional clarification
In 1929, the famous biographer of the Curé of Ars, Mgr Trochu, published a documented study on the question of Saint Philomena. The author attempts to respond to the objections of Marucchi and Leclercq regarding the identification and dating of the bones. He remains very discreet about Philomena’s life and is content to imagine the major stages of her Christian initiation, taking into account the customs of the time: her baptism and confirmation, her consecration in the order of virgins, her martyrdom… The majority of his work, however, concerns the history of the cult of the saint.
The cult of Saint Philomena
A popular devotion
Thanks to numerous miracles, popular devotion to Saint Philomena spread very quickly, particularly from 1805, on the occasion of the transfer of her relics to Mugnano (Italy). It was Pauline Jaricot (from Lyon and founder of the work of the Propagation of the Faith) who, following a pilgrimage and her own healing, brought relics to the Curé of Ars. The festival was then celebrated in Ars on August 11.
A recognized cult
In 1837, Pope Gregory XVI authorized the public worship of the saint, first for the sanctuary of Mugnano, then for the diocese of Naples. With the necessary indults, permission is granted to the parish of Ars, to the great joy of Jean-Marie Vianney. In 1855, a proper Mass and Office were approved by Blessed Pius IX, who himself went to the Sanctuary of Mugnano. Leo XIII and Saint Pius
Painting St. Philomena
A cautious reserve
The fact remains that we lack many historical details about it, and neither miracles nor the devotion of the faithful can make up for it. Furthermore, we find no evidence from the first centuries regarding the manifestation of devotion to Philomena. This is why, according to the demanding criteria of contemporary historical science, during the revision of the Roman martyrology in 1961, the name of Philomena was not preserved. This liturgical decision does not resolve the historical question, but leaves it in suspense pending more complete studies.
In conclusion
Currently, the hypothesis favorable to the historical existence of Philomena is not excluded. The remains found in Rome in 1802 may very well be those of an authentic woman, whatever her name, her life and the circumstances of her death. Through the prodigies which multiplied around her relics, God may have wanted to make her known to the world in a particular design of mercy, as so many corroborating testimonies suggest. The Church is a prudent Mother to her children. It regulates with certainty what concerns the worship of the saints. It first ensures their existence and the certain marks of their holiness. She is also the judge of the advisability of presenting them or not for public veneration and imitation of the faithful. For the moment, the Church considers it preferable not to promote the public worship of Saint Philomena. This is why, in a spirit of affiliation, the Sanctuary of Ars does not organize public celebrations. This is especially true in the place where the Church invites us to come and pray to the holy Curé and where she gives him to us as “patron of all priests in the universe”. However, the pilgrims of Ars, like Christians around the world, can freely demonstrate privately their devotion to Saint Philomena, and pray to God through her intercession. God hears every prayer made in faith and answers the sincerity of a believing heart. At the request of the Sanctuary of Ars, the Congregation for Divine Worship took charge of the file of Saint Philomena, in liaison with the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. We await the conclusions of the ad hoc Commission. In advance, we rely, in all filiality, on the judgment of the Church concerning the existence and life of Saint Philomena, and on its wise decisions regarding her worship.
