When:
🗓️ August 11
Where:
🌐 Everywhere
Since:
1837
Philomena was a Greek princess who took a vow of consecrated chastity after her family converted to christianity.
But the 60 year old emperor Diocletian wanted to marry the 13 year old princess and didn’t take kindly to her rejection.
She was severely beaten, drowned with an anchor and shot with arrows. Each time angels would come to her rescue.
However, after decapitation she stayed dead.
She lived from January 10, 291 to August 10, 304.
Centuries later, on January 30, 1837, she would be elevated to sainthood.

As for emperor, it is said that his health declined and he became somewhat less fanatic about torturing Christians for their religion.
A few years later Diocletian would retire to his lavish palace complaining about the greed of his successors, having learned nothing and no significant bad consequences for his misdeeds.
Patron saint of infants, babies, and youth.
#SaintPhilomena