ST. PHILOMENA CHAPLET
This chaplet consists of 3 white beads and 13 red beads.
On the medal say the Apostles Creed to ask for the grace of faith.
On each of the white beads say an Our Father in honor of the 3 Divine Persons of the Blessed Trinity in thanksgiving for all favors obtained through her intercession.
On each of the red beads, which are 13 in number to represent the 13 years that St. Philomena spent on earth, say the following prayer:
Hail, O holy St. Philomena, whom I acknowledge, after Mary, as my advocate with the Divine Spouse, intercede for me now andat the hour of my death. St, Philomena, beloved daughter of Jesus and Mary, pray for us who have recourse to thee. Amen.
Concluding Prayer: Hail, O illustrious St. Philomena, who shed so courageously your blood for Christ! I bless the Lord for all the graces He has bestowed upon thee during thy life, and especially at thy death. I praise and glorify Him for the honor and power with which He has crowned thee, and I beg thee to obtain for me from God the graces I ask through thy intercession. Amen.
O St. Philomena, virgin and martyr, whom God glorifies by so many miracles, whom the Vicar of Jesus Christ has named the Protectress of the Living Rosary and the Children of Mary manifest, more and more plainly from the heights of Heaven, that a voice holy as thine cannot be denied and that we have the right to rely upon thine aid. Obtain for us the grace to be faithful to Jesus Christ, even to death. Amen.
~~Ven. Pauline Jaricot
NOVENA PRAYER TO SAINT PHILOMENA (to be prayed for 9 consecutive days)
We beseech Thee, O Lord, to grant us the pardon of our sins by the intercession of Saint , virgin and martyr, who was always pleasing in Thy sight by her eminent chastity and by the profession of every virtue. Amen.
Illustrious virgin and martyr, Saint Philomena, behold me prostrate before the throne whereupon it has pleased the Most Holy Trinity to place thee. Full of confidence in thy protection, I entreat thee to intercede for me with God, from the heights of Heaven deign to cast a glance upon thy humble client! Spouse of Christ, sustain me in suffering, fortify me in temptation, protect me in the dangers surrounding me, obtain for me the graces necessary to me, and in particular (Here specify your petition).
Above all, assist me at the hour of my death. Saint Philomena, powerful with God, pray for us. Amen.
O God, Most Holy Trinity, we thank Thee for the graces Thou didst bestow upon the Blessed Virgin Mary, and upon Thy handmaid Philomena, through whose intercession we implore Thy Mercy. Amen.
Prayer to St. Philomena
Humbly kneeling before thy throne, O great and glorious Virgin, St. Philomena, I beseech thee to look favorably on the petitions I present to thee. My Patroness, St. Philomena, pray for me!
Glory be …
Overwhelmed with sorrow and distress, I have need of thee, great Saint. Heed my supplications and help me in my present tribulation. O glorious Saint, pray for me and help me!
Glory be …
Inconsolable in my grief and weighed down with so many trials, I turn trustingly to thee. O valiant Saint, beseech God to have compassion on me. My powerful advocate, pray for me and help me!
Glory be …
Courageous Martyr, well do I know that my grievous sins deserve God’s severe punishment. Good St. Philomena, beseech God to pardon me all my sins and to teach me the ways of His holy love. Illustrious Saint, be loved child of Jesus and Mary, pray for me and help me!
Glory be …
Gracious Saint, look graciously upon this house and bless the members of our family who devoutly honor thee. Wipe away our tears and smile benignly upon us, imparting the blessings of peace, hope, love, and good health to all of us. O Wonder-working Saint, pray for us and help us!
Glory be …
O Child of Wisdom, well thou knowest the graces of which I stand in need, so be with me at every moment of my life, but be with me especially at the hour of my death. Establish my soul in peace, protect me from danger, and permit me to enjoy thy sweet companionship here as well as in eternity. Amen.
All-powerful Saint, hear and help me!
Through the merits of thy cruel martyrdom, Saint Philomena, hear and help me. (3 times)
Litany of St. Philomena (Composed by St. John Vianney)
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity one God, have mercy on us.
Response after each phrase - Pray for Us
Holy Mary, Queen of Virgins,
St. Philomena,
St. Philomena, filled with the most abundant graces from your very birth,
St. Philomena, faithful imitator of Mary,
St. Philomena, model of Virgins,
St. Philomena, temple of the most perfect humility,
St. Philomena, inflamed with zeal for the Glory of God,
St. Philomena, victim of the love of Jesus,
St. Philomena, example of strength and perseverance,
St. Philomena, invincible champion of chastity,
St. Philomena, mirror of the most heroic virtues,
St. Philomena, firm and intrepid in the face of torments,
St. Philomena, scourged like your Divine Spouse,
St. Philomena, pierced by a shower of arrows,
St. Philomena, consoled by the Mother of God, when in chains,
St. Philomena, cured miraculously in prison,
St. Philomena, comforted by angels in your torments,
St. Philomena, who preferred torments and death to the splendours of a throne,
St. Philomena, who converted the witnesses of your martyrdom,
St. Philomena, who wore out the fury of your executioners,
St. Philomena, protectress of the innocent,
St. Philomena, patron of youth,
St. Philomena, refuge of the unfortunate,
St. Philomena, health of the sick and the weak.
St. Philomena, new light of the church militant,
St. Philomena, who confounds the impiety of the world,
St. Philomena, who stimulates the faith and courage of the faithful,
St. Philomena, whose name is glorified in Heaven and feared in Hell,
St. Philomena, made illustrious by the most striking miracles,
St. Philomena, all powerful with God,
St Philomena, who reigns in Glory.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God Who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
V.) Pray for us, Great St. Philomena,
R.) That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: We implore Thee, O Lord, by the intercession of Saint Philomena, Virgin and Martyr, who was ever most pleasing to Thy eyes by reason of her eminent purity and the practice of all the virtues, pardon us our sins and grant us all the graces we need (and name any special grace you may require). Amen.
Novena to St. Philomena
O great St. Philomena, glorious Virgin and Martyr, wonder-worker of our age, I return most fervent thanks to God for the miraculous gifts bestowed on thee, and beseech thee to impart to me a share in the graces and blessings of which thou hast been the channel to so many souls. Through the heroic fortitude with which thou didst confront the fury of tyrants and brave the frowns of the mighty rather than swerve from thy allegiance to the King of Heaven, obtain for me purity of body and soul, purity of heart and desire, purity of thought and affection.
Through thy patience under multiplied sufferings, obtain for me a submissive acceptance of all the afflictions it may please God to send me and as thou didst miraculously escape unhurt from the waters of the Tiber, into which thou wert cast by order of thy persecutor, so may I pass through the waters of tribulation without detriment to my soul. In addition to these favors, obtain for me, O faithful spouse of Jesus, the particular intention I earnestly recommend to thee at this moment. O pure Virgin and holy Martyr, deign to cast a look of pity from Heaven on thy devoted servant, comfort me in affliction, assist me in danger, above all come to my aid in the hour of death. Watch over the interests of the Church of God, pray for its exaltation and prosperity, the extension of the faith, for the Sovereign Pontiff, for the clergy, for the perseverance of the just, the conversion of sinners, and the relief of the souls in purgatory, especially those dear to me. O great Saint, whose triumph we celebrate on earth, intercede for me, that I may one day behold the crown of glory bestowed on thee in Heaven, and eternally bless Him who so liberally rewards for all eternity the sufferings endured for His love during this short life. Amen.
Prayer
O most pure Virgin, glorious Martyr, St. Philomena, whom God in His eternal power has revealed to the world in these unhappy days in order to revive the faith, sustain the hope and enkindle the charity of Christian souls, behold me prostate at thy feet. Deign, O Virgin, full of goodness and kindness, to receive my humble prayers and to obtain for me that purity for which thou didst sacrifice the most alluring pleasures of the world, that strength of soul which made thee resist the most terrible attacks and that ardent love for our Lord Jesus Christ, which the most frightful torments could not extinguish in thee. So, that wearing thy holy cord and imitating thee in this life, I may one day be crowned with thee in heaven. Amen.
The Cord of St. Philomena
Of the several forms which devotion to St. Philomena has taken, perhaps the one that is best known and most used is that of herCord. The use of her Cord has been from the beginning a favorite way of honoring the saint and invoking her protection. The holy Cure of Ars himself blessed and distributed a great many. The cord is white and red, and may be made either of linen, woolen, or cotton threads, so interwoven as to give an almost equal preponderance to both colors; it has two knots at one end. The white color represents virginity; the red, martyrdom.
The cord has been approved by the Sacred Congregation of Rites and is enriched with indulgences. The formula of blessing is found in the roman Ritual, and the needful faculties may be obtained from the Brothers of St. Vincent de Paul, 3 Square Leon— Guillot, Paris 15, France. It is usually worn under the outer garment as a girdle. No ceremony is required in conferring it, but it should be blessed. When replacing a worn Cord with a new one, this too, should be blessed. Wearers of the Cord ought to have the intention of honoring St. Philomena to the best of their ability in order to merit protection against evils of soul and body, and to obtain through her prayers perfect chastity and the spirit of faith. It is also recommended that the following prayer be said daily:
Saint Philomena, virgin and Martyr, pray for us that through thy powerful intercession we may obtain that purity of mind and heart which leads to the perfect love of God. Amen.
The Cord of Saint Philomena has been the instrument of innumerable favors. It is used by the sick, and is a protection against accidents and evils of ever, kind. Those suffering from temporal trials, or spiritual temptations, have found it a wonderful help. It is especially recommended that children be given the Cord, for it is a marvelous protection in the many mishaps which threaten them.
But the Cord is worn especially as a safeguard of the virtue of chastity. St. Philomena is regarded as a powerful protectress of this virtue because, if the reputed facts of her life are true, her own virginal purity was so outstanding. Hence her clients believe God has given her a special power of assisting those who are tempted against this virtue.
The legend of her life indicates that she realized the full value of the angelic virtue, having bound herself to it by vow at the tender age of eleven; that she preserved her innocence in spite of the temptations to which she was subjected in a sensuous Greek court at a time when heathenism had full sway, and when the immodest images of the Greek gods and most shameful scandals everywhere shocked the modesty of innocent eyes and blighted the purity of innocent hearts. According to the same legend, a mighty emperor offered her a kingdom and a crown. The anger of a wrathful father, the tears of an affectionate mother, stormed her heart; she stood alone, abandoned and forsaken. But she trusted her Divine Bridegroom; she remained faithful to her vow, and conquered. The Lord was her strength in the combat and He will likewise come to the assistance of all who invoke her aid in the midst of temptations; He will glorify again her name and her virtue. Let those who find themselves carried away by passion, and tempted to disregard the labs of Holy Mother Church by entering into marriages which are sinful in the eyes of God and man, implore Saint Philomena's kindly assistance. She has conquered in similar circumstances. Grace came to her aid, and the enemy will be put to flight again through her intercession if it is confidently asked and the fear of God allowed to rule the mind and will.
Plenary Indulgences of The Cord of Saint Philomena
1. On the day on which the cord is worn for the first time.
2. On May 25th, anniversary of opening of Saint Philomena's tomb - catacombs of Saint Priscilla.
3. On August 11, her proper feast.
4. On December 15, the anniversary of the approbation of the cord by the holy see.
5. At the moment of death, under the ordinary conditions.
With the exception of the last, it is necessary for gaining the above indulgences to go to confession, receive Holy Communion, make a visit to some church and there pray for the intentions of the Sovereign Pontiff.
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