Prayer to Saint Philomena
Hail, O innocent Philomena, who, for the love of Jesus, kept the lily of virginity in all its brightness. Hail, O illustrious Philomena, who so courageously shed your blood for Jesus Christ.
I bless the Lord for all the graces He granted you during your life, and especially at the hour of your death. I praise and glorify Him for the honour and power with which He crowned you, and I beg you to obtain for me from God the graces I ask through your intercession.
Saint Philomena, beloved daughter of Jesus and Mary, pray for us who have recourse to you. Amen.
Saint Philomena, pray for us!
Who was Saint Philomena?
The feast of Saint Philomena is on 11 August.
Her tomb was discovered on 25 May 1802, during excavations in the Catacomb of Priscilla in Rome. Three tiles bore this inscription in red lead: “LUMENA PAXTE CUM FI”, surrounded by Christian symbols: a palm, three arrows, a flower and an anchor. When the tiles are put in a different order, they read “PAXTE CUM FILUMENA”: “Peace be with you, Philomena”. The name means “beloved” (from the Greek phileo, to love) or, from a Latin root, “daughter of light” (filia luminis).
