We might expect devotion to St Philomena to have been hindered by the suppression of her feastday in 1961. On 14 February of that year, she was removed from the calendar of saints amidst doubts about her historicity. However, it was never the facts of her earthly life, admirable though they are, which fostered her remarkably widespread devotion. Instead, devotion to Philomena has always been nourished by an unending series of extraordinary miracles and spiritual favours, which caused Pope Gregory XVI to declare her the wonder-worker of the nineteenth century.
Her sanctuary is still a fully approved place of public pilgrimage and her Universal Archconfraternity continues to enjoy the favours bestowed upon it by a succession of popes. Now, in the twenty-first century, a remarkable resurgence of devotion to St Philomena has occurred. The doubts raised about her historicity have been rebutted by archeologists and historians. But her popular resurgence may be attributed to something else:
Why is Saint Philomena making such a powerful spiritual return in our own times?
I believe one reason is that the youth of today need an example of heroic Christian purity, even when they do not find support for purity from their society, their friends, even at times from their own parents. Many of today’s youth are being exposed to numerous occasions of blasphemy and impurity through pornography, immodest clothing, obscene movies, and oftentimes, most tragically, with the consent of their parents.
Today’s youth need a young heroic witness for the upholding of Christian purity even if their peers and their own parents are not encouraging them. They face situations very similar to those which Philomena had to contend with. Both the Emperor and her parents encouraged her to become the Empress of Rome — the highest position of power and fame the world could offer any woman. Similarly, our young people are continually tempted by the allure of power and pride and illicit pleasures. Because Philomena said yes to Christ and to His Kingdom, it is little wonder that Jesus is making her well known again as the Patroness of Purity, for the young people of the twenty-first century.
Dr Mark Miravalle, Professor of Theology,
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.
Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.
Why Santa Filomena is making this powerful spiritual return in our time?
might expect that devotion to St. Philomena has been hampered by the removal of his feast in 1961. On 14 February of that year, was removed from the calendar of saints amid doubts about its historicity. However, the facts were never of his earthly life, even admirable to be, which encouraged a widespread devotion.
However, devotion to Philomena's always been fueled by an endless series of extraordinary miracles and spiritual favors, which caused Pope Gregory XVI to declare the nineteenth century miracle-worker. His shrine is
still a place of pilgrimage fully approved public and universal Archconfraternity still enjoying the benefits granted to it by a succession of popes. Now in the twenty-first century, a remarkable resurgence of devotion to St. Philomena has occurred. The doubts raised about its historicity have been refuted by archaeologists and historians. But its popular resurgence can be attributed to something else: Why
Santa Filomena is making this powerful spiritual return in our time?
I think one of the reasons is that the youth of today needs a heroic example of Christian purity, even if they include support for purity in their society, their friends, sometimes even their own parents. Many young people today are exposed to numerous occasions of blasphemy and impurity through pornography, indecent clothing, obscene movies, and many times, most tragically, with the consent of their parents.
Today's youth need a young heroic witness for the defense of Christian purity, but their peers and their own parents did not encourage them. They face situations similar to those that Filomena had to fight. Both the Emperor and his parents encouraged her to become Empress of Rome - the highest position of power and fame in the world can offer any woman. Similarly, our youth are continually tempted by the lust for power and pride and illicit pleasures. Because
Philomena said yes to Christ and his Kingdom, it is no wonder that Jesus is once again making its well-known as the Patroness of purity for young people in the XXI century.
might expect that devotion to St. Philomena has been hampered by the removal of his feast in 1961. On 14 February of that year, was removed from the calendar of saints amid doubts about its historicity. However, the facts were never of his earthly life, even admirable to be, which encouraged a widespread devotion.
However, devotion to Philomena's always been fueled by an endless series of extraordinary miracles and spiritual favors, which caused Pope Gregory XVI to declare the nineteenth century miracle-worker. His shrine is
still a place of pilgrimage fully approved public and universal Archconfraternity still enjoying the benefits granted to it by a succession of popes. Now in the twenty-first century, a remarkable resurgence of devotion to St. Philomena has occurred. The doubts raised about its historicity have been refuted by archaeologists and historians. But its popular resurgence can be attributed to something else: Why
Santa Filomena is making this powerful spiritual return in our time?
I think one of the reasons is that the youth of today needs a heroic example of Christian purity, even if they include support for purity in their society, their friends, sometimes even their own parents. Many young people today are exposed to numerous occasions of blasphemy and impurity through pornography, indecent clothing, obscene movies, and many times, most tragically, with the consent of their parents.
Today's youth need a young heroic witness for the defense of Christian purity, but their peers and their own parents did not encourage them. They face situations similar to those that Filomena had to fight. Both the Emperor and his parents encouraged her to become Empress of Rome - the highest position of power and fame in the world can offer any woman. Similarly, our youth are continually tempted by the lust for power and pride and illicit pleasures. Because
Philomena said yes to Christ and his Kingdom, it is no wonder that Jesus is once again making its well-known as the Patroness of purity for young people in the XXI century.
Dr. Mark Miravalle, professor of Theology, Franciscan University of Steubenville
, Ohio.
, Ohio.
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