Novena to St. Philomena

O glorious St. Philomena, who being assaulted with flatteries, threats and promises to induce you to forsake the religion of Jesus Christ, stood firm and invincible against them, opposing as a prudent virgin light to darkness: obtain for us grace to weep over all the sins which we have committed by yielding to temptations, and strength to resist henceforth all the seductions of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who to render solemn testimony to the faith of Jesus Christ, though tender in age, and weak by sex, endured with the most heroic fortitude to be confined in a horrible dungeon, and to be tormented in the most cruel manner by inhuman executioners: obtain for us that a holy and heavenly love may be enkindled in our hearts, so that we may suffer with unalterable patience all the afflictions and disasters which may meet us during this wretched life. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who did not refuse to submit to the last extremity of death that you might maintain yourself faithful, to your spouse Jesus, preferring rather to lose your life than your God: obtain for us all the grace to fight courageously for Jesus Christ, overcoming our evil concupiscence, and continually advancing in the practice of virtue, so that by a holy life we may arrive at a holy death. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who, by the high disposition of Providence wast manifested to the world in these our days, by the discovery of your body which had been for so many years hidden and unknown in the catacombs at Rome, and hast been selected by Heaven to exhibit the most stupendous miracles, to keep alive our holy religion in our hearts: obtain for us all the grace never to lend an ear to any impiety, but to keep ourselves at all times devout to the true Catholic Church, out of which there is no salvation. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who, by the wonderful events which attended the translation of your precious relics, wast made by Divine Providence, the dispensatrix of innumerable graces: obtain for us the grace to keep our hearts detached from all earthly things, and to fill them with a holy faith in the power and promises of God, Who not only created us in His own image, and redeemed us with the blood of His incarnate Son, but has offered us His grace in this life and eternal glory in the next. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who recompensed with numberless blessings, the faith and devotion of those who honoured your relics and guarded them as precious treasures: obtain for us the friendship of God that it may be our happy lot to possess Him; and that being once freed from our sins, we may never turn back to them again, but hate them with perfect hatred, and thus become worthy of the heavenly favours. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who, for having exposed your most pure body to cruel tortures with invincible constancy for the love of your spouse Jesus merited to be exalted to the highest honours: obtain for us the grace to hate our flesh with a holy hatred for drawing us into sin, and to nourish our souls, our better part, that in union with Christ both may live for ever. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who could tread underfoot all the hopes and enjoyments of this earth, and offer your life in the flower of your age as a voluntary and generous sacrifice to God, Who, in recompense for the tender love you bore Him placed in your hands a treasure of graces to shed upon earth: obtain that we may not waste any of our time in the pursuit of worldly vanities, but spend it for the attainment of eternal life. Gloria.

O glorious St. Philomena, who generously renouncing all the vain glories of the world, and enduring persecutions, sufferings, contempt, and infamy, rather than fail in the fidelity you had vowed to your Spouse, wast by Him crowned with honour and glory, so that the faithful upon earth vied with each other which should pay you the most worthy homage: obtain for us the grace to renounce entirely all human pride, and to acquire that humility which is the foundation of every virtue, and the true road to glory; that having no confidence in ourselves we may seek God alone in all our designs, and take Him for our only treasure and sovereign good. Gloria.