SAINT PHILOMENA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 14, 3 August 1894, Page 6

SAINT PHIL OMEN A.

TO THE EDITOR y.Z. TABLET.

Sib,— \fter giving you the life of St Philoment, I think I told you I had a great deal more to relate on this holy martyr, but tr.at 1 should refrain from writing any rmre on the subject fjr fear of being tedious. However, on further consideration I have decided to send you a few of the many miracles wrought by her, for the benefit of thoee who have bought her picture, or who are likely to buy it, so that they may know her power and gojdness, and may in time of need invoke her with more confidence.

The fir_t miracle wrought through the intercession of St Philomena occurred during thi translation of her relics from Naples to Mugnano. The persons in charge of tbe Bacred relics set out from Naples toward the evening. They had counted upon the light of the moon to guide them during the night, and therefore did not provide any other means for lighting their way in case of need. Bat a dark cloud having covered the sky, they began to invoke the Saint and ask her protection ; and God was pleased for the glory of His servant that it s v iould not be sought in vain ; for while the pious escort invoked her with fervour, a column of light waa suddenly formed in the air, the lower pait of which rested upon the shrine, where it remained steadily fixed until daylight, while the upper part of it reached np to the sky, and thus guided, they happily reached Mugnano in safety. Now, the octave day of the translation, daring the solemn Mass, in presence «f the crowd which assisted at it, a child about ten years old stood up in the middle of the church, and walked over to tht shrine to thank her benefactress. Her mother, a poor widow, had carried her in her arms into the church, for Bhe was a cripple, and

could neither walk nor stand ; and from the beginning of the Mass until the elevatioo, when the mirtcle took placp, she had unceasingly and fervently supplicited the saint. The whole village knew the sra» tbe child was iq before the Mass, and after the Mass they saw her walk through tbe streets, announcing the miracle of which she had been tbe object, and to which they all bore te^timooy, The miracle wrought during the ho y Mass attracted such a con course to Vespers, that the church would n ,t hold all the people • a gieat number remained outside, among whom was a woman of tha village of Cirella, holding in her arms » litfe girl, about two yean old who had been b'inded by the small pox. The most celebrated physicians of tbe capital had beeo consulted, but they cooiidered tha disease mcorabJe. Tne .ffl cted motber, however, knowing that tha things impossible to man are possible with God, did not despair of tha cure of her daugh er She ran to Mugnano, and although the na..a^ to the Saint app»ared to be stopped, she succeeded in making her war to the 8 mne. There an.mated wiih a lively faith, she tak«s some oil from tbe lamp tbat buras before St Philomen*. anoints with it th. eyes of her child,>nd the little incirable is initantly cured At thU miracle there are new erie, of py. Tbe people oatiide the churoh r.-eebo the ace amations from within. The preacher (for it wai during the sermon) cvuld no longer be heard, and as everyone wm demand.ns to B ee tbe child that bad been cured, a priest took i* in h IS arms, and mounting a balustrade, he presented it to the ri.w of the people, who, filled With wonder, P - Oc l a i med aloud the of God, and tbe glory of His servant.

A boy about eleven years old, of the name of GiacDmo DElia son of a surgeon of V.scwao, had his foot broken by tbe wheel of__ carnage that passed over it. The pain Wi ß so great that he becaml insensible, and was carr.ed horn a half dead. S JO n after notwith standing the efforts of art, the wound became egregioa», and oa account of the extreme weakness of the body, amputation being impracticable, his death was daily expected. In this ,tate of things a priest of the place arrived ; he had an imago of tbe Saint which he exposed to the veneration of thu family, recommending them to interest St Philomena in their favour. They knelt down and recited together

the Litany of the Blessed Virgin, and then the priest approaching the bed of the child, awoke him from his lethargy and showed him the image of the Baint. At the eight of it, youn^ D'Biia began to Bpeak, and appeared to be no longer ill ; the wouni was quickly u< cover«d, when it waa i ot that the g >agrsne hd 1 disappeared ; the foot wai cured ; the child got up and bfgau to wa'k with perfect ease. The favour tba 1 was obtaine t by a chil \ not five years old, was not less extraordinary. This fay >ur might be attributed to the name iha bore, for Bhe was ci led Philompna. and the S*int hao always shown a particular affection for tie chii ireu who i ive received this name in baptism. The parents of Pm otn » ia were Maria Montefor c and Nicolo Cinonico. One day, as the child was playing near an oven, the door came off and fell upon h^r fo_>t, and cut off the fourth j toe. Atthecries of the child they hastened to her relief ; they laid her on her bed, and afier examining tie hurt which seemed rather serious, they called in a surgfou, wno applied the remedies of his art. Night came, and the little Philomeua could not sleep ; but, as she herself related, and the result proved the truth of her account, while the whole family were sleeping, thn Saint appearei to her, gave her some sweetmeats, saying : ■' My little Phiiomena, take courage. You will tell your mamma that she must weep no more, and that I will enre you." Tben she disappeared. The child began immediately to cry out, calling her mother. The mo; her at once raa to her, as well as all the persons in the bouse. Phiiomena told them in her own way what she bad Been, what hal been given to her, and what she had been commanded to tell her mother. This announcement filled the whole family with joy and gratitude. They longed to see the enre take place, and they had n< t long to wait, for next morning they saw her walk about as before, but still wanting the toe that bad been cut off. Ie was hoped the saint would finish the work which she had begun. This hope was not vain, for two days before the feast of the Saint, Phiiomena received a new toe m plica of the one sht had lost. There waa another Phiiomena, aomewhit older than the preceding, and, perhaps, also more giddy. H^r pireats' names were Tomaso Tedescoand Ursula Sesio. The day ot St Philomela's feast the liitl P girl was amusing herself by cuttinng with a pair of scissors, when, by some awarkedness she drove them in'o her right eye. DuriDg four or five days there issued from the wound blood and water. Theaffl cted family, knowing the case to be a very serious one, had recourse to the intercession «f the Holy Maityr. Don Francis de Lucia, informed of the accident, goes to the family, acd, calling the child, ■ays to her: " My dear child, go directly to the church, put your finger into the lamp of the Saint, and with the oil that will be on the finger carefully yoorielf anoint the wound. Philomsna obeyed, and did ex .ctly is she had been directed. The faith of the child obtained her

a miraculous favour ; tne eye was perfectly cured, contrary to tke expectation* of the doctor who had pronounced it incurable. A woodcutter of Singuono, called Carluccio Napolitano, favoured, on account of his devouou towards the Saint, with several graces, had alwajs intertwined a great confidence in her. Tbia worthy man carried always aboa him one of her portraits before which he used to open his heart in v mom necessities. One time, as he wai journeying, being over'akea by night, he went into an inn. The conversation turned on St Pbi'.omena. and be produced his picture of her, showing it to the persons present, It pleased them so much that one of them tfL-red two pieoeß of money for it. Another offered three then fuur, five, and even twelve. But Oarluccio said to them that be would not give it for a Roman crown, for it wa« too good company for him, and replaced it in his pocket-book. The ntxt morning he got up very early, and directed his steps tow*r<ia a village called the Sarbo, where he had to wjrk In crossing a thick forest he went astray, and not knowing where he was or where he was going, his heart turned to his good Saint, and he thus addressed her : " My dear Saint, yesterday I would no f part with you, even for a good sum of money. I preferred your company to everything, aad to-day you ccc me astray in this wood and you don't come to my relief 1 He bad not finished thesj words when he saw coming to him a girl of about thirteen years of age, drt ssed in a robe of Bky bine and of great beauty and modesty. She looked at hi on and said to him. "My good man, what ig the matter with yon 7 What trouble has happened to yon? Oarluccio explained his embirrassment. "That ii nothing," she replied, " follow me, and I will set you again on your road." And without saying any more, she went forward as if to show him the way. Walking after her, a little surprised at the circumeUnce he said to himself. " Now it may be seen what great goodniss St Phiiomena is showing me. She runs to assist one, when ono has scarcely called her, for I onnot doubt but it is she that bag sent to me this amiable child." He was occupying himself with these pious thoughts when the young girl stopped, and turning towards him said, "follow now that road for nrar a mile, you will then meet a woman with a basket on her head. (She is going to the place you seek. You will go along with her, rnxd shortly after you will arriu at the place. Carluccio thanked her affectionately acd tm> A separated. He turned round to see where the charitable lady was going but he could see her no longer, and he continued his way without further reflection. Immediately afterwards he found himself in a new difficulty. The path along which he went terminated io several others, and which to choose be knew not ; bat lifting up his eyes he saw at the same time advancing towards him the woman be bad been told of and recognised her by the baßket. "Do you know," he

instantly said to her, •' which of these paths leads to the Sarbo ?" " Sarbo I" replies the villager, " I know the way, it is my village, come and I will bring you to it," ani he renohed tho village shortly aftf-r. It was than that the eyes of Carluccio were opened. How conld this young lady, so gentle ao modest, bo elegantly dresspd, be travpllintr j n t bo wood ? How <*onld «hfl have gue«ed his embarrassment and answered hi s thought T How could she foresee what was to happen to him, and represent to him so accurately the woman, the load was carrying and the place where sha was going ? '-No, no, said he 'o himself, it has not been mere chance, it is St Philomena herself that I h«»e seen, and who has extricated me from the difficulty I wag in." Daring several days, Carluccio seemed almost beside himself, his heart was filled with a particular love and devotion towards his celestial guido. Now, I think I coul i fill many pages with similar examples, but I hope the above may be enough to inspire your pious readers with tender devotion towardi St Philomena, so that they may hare a claim to her protection in time of need.— l am, etc., B. PERTT7IS, S.M.