The next day, St. Philomena’s feast, Pauline received Holy Communion near the reliquary of the Saint. She then experienced frightful pains all over her body, and her heart beat violently. The attack was such that she fell into a dead faint.
These intense pains that caused Pauline to faint were an alarming sight to the zealous Italians who were not used to her malady. They thought they had just witnessed her death. The crowds burst out in mournful clamors. The excitement of the people reached a fever pitch. Pauline’s companions lifted Pauline’s chair to carry her out of the church for her own safety. However, she regained consciousness enough to make a sign to be left near the reliquary.
She gazed affectionately toward Philomena’s holy relics. Suddenly, a flood of hot tears burst from Pauline’s eyes. The color came back to her cheeks. A warm, healthy glow spread through her limbs. Her soul was filled with such heavenly joy that she believed she was about to enter Heaven. But it was not death. It was life! Philomena had cured her.
Although she felt that she was cured, Pauline did not dare say anything, dreading the outburst of enthusiasm that such news would provoke. However, the Superior of the Sanctuary understood what had happened, and ordered all the bells to peal and announce the miracle.
The crowds, on hearing the news, went wild with joy. The church and the streets rang with their shouts. "Viva! Viva!" resounded on all sides. "Viva St. Philomena! Viva our dear Saint! Viva the great Virgin and Martyr! Viva the good French Lady!" In their enthusiasm they rushed towards Pauline and wanted to carry her in triumph on their shoulders. She, however, absolutely refused to allow it.
Idolized by the people, Pauline remained in Mugnano for some time, her soul overflowing with joy. She passed long hours in sweet prayer at the feet of her heavenly benefactress. She received great graces, as spectacular for her soul as for her body. At last, when the day of departure arrived and she had to tear herself away from the Sanctuary, she took with her a great relic of St. Philomena. She placed it in a life-sized statue of the Saint. This statue was clothed in royal robes, and given the seat of honor in the carriage. It was hailed by all as the "Princess of Paradise".
At the various stages of the journey, the horsemen who had brought Pauline to Mugnano - more like a corpse than a living person - cried out: "A miracle, a miracle! Viva St. Philomena!"
At this cry, crowds gathered, bringing wreaths and garlands which they hung on the carriage, calling out to the Saint with the most intense piety and love.
Along the way to Rome, they stopped at Naples. The citizens there were profoundly moved on the arrival of the miraculously cured Pauline. A thrill ran through the people. The Bishop received Pauline with great honor and, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio and the King of Sicily, presented the reliquary containing the blood of St. Januarius for her to kiss and venerate.
Honored and invoked on all sides, the "Princess of Paradise" and her escort soon arrived in Rome. Pauline did not yet announce her cure. She wanted to tell the Holy Father herself, and thus enjoy seeing how surprised he would be.
When Pauline, healthy and strong, presented herself in the Vatican, all those who had heard of her were shocked.
"Is it really my daughter?" said the Holy Father. "Has she come back from the grave? Or has God shown, in her behalf, the power of the Virgin Martyr?"
"It is indeed I, most Holy Father," she replied, "whom Your Holiness saw so recently at the very door of death. St. Philomena has looked on me with pity. Since she has given me back my life, deign, Holy Father, to give me permission to build a chapel in honor of my benefactress."
"Most certainly!" was the Pope’s joyous reply.
Then he insisted on hearing from her own lips the details of the cure. Filled with delight and wonder, he told her to walk back and forth for him to see. "Again, again, quicker, quicker!" he exclaimed, laughing. "I want to be sure that what I see is not an apparition from the other world but really and truly my dear daughter from Fourvière."
In her own eagerness, Pauline forgot the protocols of her time, and instead of pacing side to side, she turned her back toward the Sovereign Pontiff as she began to walk away from him. The Master of Ceremonies hastily reminded her that she must not turn her back on the Holy Father, but the pope waved aside the objection with a smile: "Nonsense!" he said. "Do not trouble about that. God Himself has made far greater exceptions in her favor."
After their visit, the pope insisted that Pauline remain in Rome for a whole year, that the miracle might be thoroughly investigated. During that time he conferred on her many great privileges and blessings. True to the promise he had made back when Pauline was ill, the Holy Father gave immediate orders for the final inquiry to be made into the cause of Philomena. A certain type of personal devotion to the young virgin had already been approved by the Church (already very public and great in some places - like at Mugnano!). But the powerful martyr had not yet been officially recognized and admitted into the ranks of the Saints of the Church. Pope Gregory XVI had cautiously and prudently been waiting and praying for one last incredible miracle to show God’s will in the matter - whether or not to proceed with Philomena’s cause. With Pauline’s healing, the pope had received his sign and, after much investigation and discernment, Philomena was solemnly raised to the altar on January 30, 1837.
Pauline Jaricot’s great desire and prayer had been answered! She also received the great consolation of Gregory XVI bestowing St. Philomena as the official patroness of Pauline’s apostolate - the Universal Living Rosary. And so, at the close of her year-long stay in Rome, Pauline set out with the pope’s blessing on her return journey to France. She had arrived in Italy as almost a living corpse. Now, she was leaving it with new life and fullness of soul! What a great joy to think that her sufferings had helped obtain such honor for her dear Philomena!
Little did Pauline realize though, that God had one more unique task in mind that would also spread vast devotion to the beautiful saint. It was after her healing, when she was back in France, that Pauline paid a visit to a dear friend of hers - the Cure of Ars. Exuberant to share her miracle with him, Pauline told him everything, especially of her loving patroness Philomena. Before leaving, she gave the happy priest a special gift of some of Philomena’s relics that she had brought back from Mugnano, Italy. This introduction - between the parish priest Vianney and the virgin martyr Philomena - was the beginning of a devotion and bond that would become famous throughout the world. Even after his death, St. John Vianney would forever be known for his great love of St. Philomena. And it was by him that countless souls came to learn of this great and powerful miracle-worker. "My children," he would say, "Saint Philomena has great power with God, and she has, moreover, a kind heart; let us pray to her with confidence!"
And so the long and painful journey that had begun in 1835 had ended with incredible and global results. God touched the life of one young French woman and she in turn would impact millions for the good, even long after her life in this world was over.
Now, Pauline is most certainly enjoying the company of the dear saint that saved her life. And it is a joy to know that God so generously answered the prayer Pauline offered, back in Italy, with the miraculous gift she had been given:
"Yes, Philomena, all my life I want to love you as my beloved, honor you as my protecting Angel, and I hope, with divine help, to contribute as much as I can to honor you, so that everyone may experience, as I myself have, how generous and good you are towards those who tenderly love you and invoke you."
The End