Hello!
How are you?
I'm Great! Thanks for visiting my site!
Some of you know me
And some of you don't!
But that's all good!
Cuz here's some info!
My name is Philomena.
I'm a Saint and I'm Greek!
Yeah! Geia Sou!!!!
I was Princess of Corfu. My Parents are of Royal blood. They converted to Christianity because they wanted a child and tried praying to the Greek deities for help, but to no avail. A Roman named Publius who was a Christian,told them to pray to Jesus Christ for a sign. And thus I was born! My name even means friend of light(Greaco latino combination Philo=Friend Lumena=Light). I was always entrigued by dedicating my life to God. Even when I got my first communion. My parents loved me very much and when I was 13, took me to Rome. For Bussiness matters for you see my Father was a Client-King to the Roman Tetrarchy of the time and for those of you unaware, this is during the Time of the Roman Empire. Anyways, we went to Rome and at the Palace of Maximius who was Emperor of the West at the time, Diocletian, Emperor of the East who dealt with my Father, met up with us there in Rome. Diocletian fell in love with me and mind you, I was 13 and planning to lead a life of chasity and prayer, devoted to Jesus Christ. He asked my father if he could marry me. I said in your dreams.
My father begged me to change my mind, seeing as I would be Empress of Rome. I said I'd rather be a Princess in Heaven with Jesus. Diocletian tried to presuade me with Jewels and Gold and that I would be lucky as heck.
But hey! Diamonds aren't always a girl's best friend. I told me to get lost! He got mad and shoved me in jail and I remained there for a few months.
It was horrid. Rats, bugs, no showers, putrid smells, THE DARK! Lord knows what a nightmare that was! But I refused to bend down to his wishes. One night, however, the Virgin Mary appeared to me and told me that soon I would be free from jail (and I was like "Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, PRAISE THE LORD!") but she then rephrased that meaning I would suffer a lot first and then die (and I was like "WHAT!?!") But the Virgin Mary assured me that I would go to heaven and be with my Divine Spouse, our Lord Jesus and that I was her favorite one. =)
So I put my good girl face and dealt with Diocletian again.
He was still pissed and infront of people had me wipped and flogged naked. I was covered in blood (remember the Passion of the Christ when Jesus was flogged? Yeah, Imagine the same thing to a 13 year old GIRL!)
He tossed me in Jail and excepted me to die, but Angels came and said "Not yet!" putting a balm all over my body and I was cured.
The next day, Diocletian saw me and declared his patron god and father Jupiter had healed me in order that I become Empress of Rome. I said Whatever.
Then he tried to seduce me and tried to rape me, but the Lord sent angels to kick his ass. He got mad and ordered me to be tied to an anchor and tossed over into the Tiber river. When he tried to do this, Angels came and saved me, picking me up putting me on dry land. Diocletian was mad again and had archers shoot arrows at me.
Once again, and full of blood, he tossed me back into jail and angels put the wonder balm back on my skin.
Diocletian was pissed the next day and called me a witch, this time lighting the arrows on fire thinking that would stop the witchcraft and my evil spells (Since when did Fire stop witchcraft??) Anyways it backfired because the arrows turned around and killed the archers. Out of rage, Diocletian ordered that I be beheaded and he did. After my death I wad buried at St.Priscilla's Catacombs on the Via Salaria in Rome. Diocletian was angered and saddened by my death, ripping his hairs and saying he no longer wanted to be an Emperor. He became the first Roman Emperor to abdicate the throne.
I am the patron saint of impoissible cases because as the Virgin Mary said, nothing is impossible to Philomena!
My main shrine is in Mugnano del Cardinale(AV), Italy.
There are no shrines to me in Greece.
