Honoring Saint Philomena

Oh Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, pray for us so that through your powerful intercession we may obtain that purity of spirit and heart that leads to the perfect love of God. Amen.

The Cord of Saint Philomena is hand made at the Sanctuary under the direction of Sister Bertilla by the town folks of Mugnano del Cardinale.

In the early Church virgins wore a cincture or cord as a sign and emblem of purity. That is why the cord has always been considered a symbol of chastity as well as mortification and humility. The wearing of a cord or cincture in honor of a saint is of very ancient origin, and we find the first mention of it in the life of St. Monica. In the Middle Ages cinctures were also worn by the faithful in honor of saints, though no confraternities were formally established, and the wearing of a cincture in honor of St. Michael was general throughout France. Later on, ecclesiastical authority set apart special formulae for the blessing of cinctures in honor of the Most Precious Blood, our Lady, St. Francis of Paul, and Saint Philomena.

This extraordinary privilege of a cord is shared with the still other saints, such as, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas Aquinas, and St. Joseph.

The devotion of the Cord of Saint Philomena was adopted on account of the innumerable graces obtained through the intercession of the Hidden Saint of the Catacombs. This Cord was first distributed by the saintly Cure of Ars, himself. It was the illustrious Leo XIII who blessed and approved the Cord and attached many privileges and indulgences to its wearing.

Many records tell of the favor granted to those who wear the Cord. We read of striking cures; for instance, when wound about diseased limbs, the Cord has driven out the pain and healed them. There is also the story of the child who fell into a pool of water, but was preserved because of the Cord of Saint Philomena around his waist. The Cord itself remained perfectly dry.

Rules For The Cord

1. The Cord approved by the Sacred Congregation in honor of Saint Philomena ought to be made of linen, wool, or cotton of a white and red color, with two knots at one end to honor her double title of virgin and martyr
2. It is worn under the dress as a girdle. No ceremony is required in conferring it, but it should be blessed beforehand and passed or sent by one person to another. When worn out, the new Cord also must be blessed. Children, however young, may receive the Cord.
3. In putting on the Cord, everyone ought to propose to himself constantly to honor Saint Philomena, in order to merit her protection against all evils of soul and body, and also to obtain, through her intercession, perfect chastity, the spirit of faith so necessary in the unhappy times in which we live, and the grace of doing violence to oneself so as to lead a Christian life.
4. Those who wear the Cord are counseled to say every day the following prayer:
   O Saint Philomena, virgin and martyr, pray for us that, through thy powerful intercession, we may obtain the purity of mind and heart which leads to the perfect love of God.
   Amen

Leo XIII, by a rescript dated March 14, 1893, granted 100 days’ indulgence to the faithful who wear the Cord of Saint Philomena, and recite the foregoing prayer with devotion and contrition.

This devotion happened very simply . On the octave (which is 8 days after the arrival of the sacred body on the 10th August) of the translation of the Reliquary of Saint Philomena to Mugnano, a woman from Avella, full of faith in God, dipped a finger into the oil of the lamp which burned in front of the altar of the Saint, and anointed the eyelids of her blind child with it. The child immediately received sight, to the astonishment of all present.

As the celebration prepares to begin, the many busses to deliver the representatives from the various Archconfraternities from around the world, from around Italy arrived.

Each group was hailed outside with the playing of a band, then escorted inside to the Holy alter of Saint Philomena to be officially greeted by the Rector of the Sanctuary, Father Braschi.

Inside the teaming of humanity quietly rumbled with the low chatter of greetings to one another in many languages. Old friends, the many of the family of Saint Philomena, and the sweet sounds of the choir of the Sanctuary.

Father Braschi lead the blessing of the refurbished tomb of Don Francesco de Lucia along with the bronze bust of him, which has been done with great detail.

As the ringing of the beginning of Mass began, a hush of reverence washed over the crowded Sanctuary, the gathered family, as the Bishop, Father Braschi along with another 6 priest who where devoted to St Philomena all proceeded to the high Altar.

The dignitaries included the Mayors and other representatives from all the surrounding towns and villages. In this 200th anniversary year, for the first time, all the nearby cities and towns were represented by their top elected officials.

The Bishop of Nola took his rightful seat, accompanied by his staff that was used in this special celebration. A gift from the Vatican was this staff, whose original owner was Pope Gregory the XVI who named our Princess “A Saint of the First Class” and canonized her so many years ago.

Father Braschi took the microphone to greet all who were in attendance and then the Mayer of Mugnano spoke. Father Braschi then introduced Marie Burns from the Scotland Archconfraternity of Saint Philomena center. Marie Burns, as the Director of all the Archconfraternities world-wide, introduced and greeted the Bishop as well as gave a message of greeting on behalf of all the Archconfraternities from around the world.

The tradition of the Saint Philomena Holy Oil has it origins in the first week after the translation of the Saint’s relics to Mugnano.

The saint arrived to the Sanctuary in Mugnano on Sunday, the 11th of August. For nine days the population prayed before the saint, and the ninth day was marked by many portents. The ninth day came, and during High Mass, a poor widow, Angela Guerriero, as praying with faith still undepressed after those eight days without a sign, for the cure of her ten-year-old Modestino, who was crippled and unable to stand. Just as she had bowed her head she heard a slither beside her, and turning round to see if Modestino had fallen she saw him running up the aisle to Philomena to than her for his cure. After Mass, Modestino had to walk round the town and show everyone his straight legs. Of course, all the bells had to be rung again, and Modestino was followed by all the drums of the local band playing as hard as possible to make up for the fact that they had used up all the gunpowder last Sunday and so could not be more explosive.

You can imagine that everyone in the town tried to get into the church for Vespers, but cram as they might, this was not possible. There was one woman who was hampered by a heavy baby of two years old in her arms. He was blind, having lost his sight incurably after small-pox. She pushed and struggled in vain, but during the sermon, when the crowd was standing more or less still, she managed to edge her way, inch by inch, to the shrine. She dipped her finger in the oil of a lamp which was burning before the shrine, and anointed the baby’s eyes with it. Instantly and without pain, the scarred eyelids opened, and the eyes beneath them saw the light of the lamp and the baby laughed with joy and made a grab at it.

Each year thereafter, villages from all over Europe brought their Olive Oil from their respective groves as a gift to the Sanctuary to be blessed on this special annual Feast day to be used by devotees world-wide.

The Holy Oil of Saint Philomena is presented in small red vessels (bottles) and has the official mark of the Sanctuary of Saint Philomena in Mugnano del Cardinale identifying it as official.

Richard Fox took video of the festivities and has encoded them for the web.  Father Braschi also had two professional photographers to capture the festivities and their finished disc is on its way to Richard to encode for the web.  So, for now, below you will find two links to get a sneak preview of the festivities.  Naturally, the fast connection version is of superior quality.

To view a video of the highlights of the blessing of the Holy Oil of Saint Philomena Mass, please click here for slow connection (56K), and here for fast connection (DSL or Cable).

This devotion, owed to the Holy Curé of Ars, consists in reciting the Creed, three Our Fathers (the white beads) in honour of the Blessed Trinity, and thirteen Hail O Holy Saint.... or 13 Hail Mary’s with Saint Philomena, pray for us, (red beads). The thirteen prayers remind us of the age of our Little Saint.