The interiors of the Sanctuary

Altars on the left side of the church



Central nave of the church

Altars on the right side of the church


Altars on the left side of the church

1. The tomb of Fr. Francesco de Lucia, the first country-born Rector of the Shrine and the first devotee of St. Philomena. His work was honored by the privilege of being buried inside the Shrine. His tomb was restored in 2005 and the bronze bust placed on it in his memory.

2. Chapel of the Crucifix - the chapel of confession. It is a spiritual place of reflection and reconciliation. The confessionals are from 1974. The Crucifix is from the 1600s. Found in the Shrine by Msgr. Braschi, it was restored and returned to its natural state by Luigi Falco who had it analyzed and dated in Milan. The 'altar consists of three marbles: 1600, 1700 and 1800. In this chapel a "Lapide," a piece of marble with historical information regarding the devotion, remained. The stained glass window was donated by the center of the Archconfraternity in Scotland. Outside this chapel located near the doors is a statue of St. Joseph from 1700, restored in 2002.

3. Altar of St. Philomena - August 10, 1805. This is the new altar that was donated in 1877 by the French people led by Mr. Garrigou at the time of Don Luis Petit who founded the confraternity in France. The oil lamp was lit the moment St. Philomena was placed on the altar. Inside the urn is the papier-mâché statue of Saint Philomena containing the Saint's body. At the bottom left is the vial with the dried blood of St. Philomena inside. In front of this altar occurred the miracle to Blessed Pauline Jaricot.

4. Miraculous Altar - this is the original altar in St. Philomena's chapel. It was moved in 1875 for the construction of a new and more elaborate altar. This is known as the Miraculous Altar because while it was being put in place, the altar mensa broke into two pieces. Despite this, the work continued and eventually the sculptor miraculously found the altar reassembled without any injury. At this Altar many Cardinals and Bishops celebrated Mass including Pope Pius IX.

5. Statue of St. John Vianney and St. Philomena - Papier-mâché statue from a famous art school in Lecce, southern Italy in 1890. The Shrine ordered this work to show the great love and devotion St. John Vianney had for our Saint, He who also brought the great devotion of the holy cord, sacramental of St. Philomena. Many miracles are attributed to the latter.

6. St. Anne with her daughter Mary as a child - work dated 1896 (circa) donated in 2003 by Dr. Elvira Vasta.

7. Reliquary of Martyred Saints - Dates back to the 1700s. Ancient collection of relics of various saints and martyrs. The most famous is Saint John Vianney. The latter was made by the artist Gennaro Ippolito.

 8. Miraculous Statue of St. Philomena - In 1806 Cardinal Luigi Ruffo Scilla (1750-1832), Archbishop of Naples (1802-1832), donated to the Shrine a wooden statue of St. Philomena containing in the chest cavity a reliquary that enclosed a small bone particle belonging to the Martyr, as reported by Ippolito.

This statue is carried every year in procession through the streets of Mugnano del Cardinale on the second Sunday in August. On August 10, 1823, during the procession, the statue became heavier. The next day, the statue sweated the fragrant "manna" for three consecutive days. In this regard, there are two public records; one signed by the Vicario Foraneo and 17 priests of the clergy of Mugnano del Cardinale, the other by the Mayor, the Chancellor and the Council Members. These acts were deposited in the Municipal Archives and in the Church of Our Lady of Grace. To commemorate this, a marble inscription was placed in the Church of Our Lady of Grace. The arch of this statue was restored in 2005 and donated by Beniamino Schettino.

The statue and the people of Mugnano del Cardinale were blessed by Pope Francis during his audience on May 10, 2023 <<.photo>>   <<video>>.

9. St. Pio of Pietrelcina - commissioned and donated to the Shrine by Sister Bertilla (1934 - 2011) who dedicated 25 years of continuous service to the Shrine and the devotion of St. Philomena. Through her faithful service the Shrine has become the home of devotees from all over the world, a resting place for pilgrims.


Side chapels
Tomb of Fr. Francesco De Lucia
Statue of St. John Vianney and St. Philomena

Altars on the right side of the church

1. Chapel of St. Anthony-the statue dates from around 1750. His feast is celebrated every year in the village in June. The feast dates back to before the body of St. Philomena arrived in this church.

2. Chapel of the Tomb of St. Philomena - these are the original tiles from the tomb of St. Philomena discovered in the catacombs of St. Priscilla in 1802. Donated to the shrine by Pope Leo XII. The image above this altar is of the martyrdom of St. Philomena. It was painted in the Palace of Caserta in 1859.

3. Chapel of St. Rose of Lima and St. Catherine of Alexandria the painting dates from about 1550.

4. Bronze sculpture of St. Philomena - created in 2005 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the translation of the sacred body of St. Philomena from Rome to Mugnano del Cardinale.

5. Entrance to the Sacristy - restored in 2002 thanks to the donation of the 1st Battenti group and Paolo Corbisiero and Antonietta Braschi

6. Entrance to the Pilgrims' House.

7. Statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus - circa 1896, this statue has never been restored.


Dome

The church was built in the shape of a Latin cross with a nave, an elegant dome, in the Renaissance style, and an altar adorned with precious and rare marble. Inside the dome are depicted the 4 evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.


Door

The bronze door of the Shrine of Saint Philomena was carved by Guglielmo Savini and donated by the municipality of Mugnano del Cardinale. The door consists of 6 bas-relief panels depicting the history of the shrine.

The first door panel on the left shows the construction of the Church of Our Lady of Grace. The central panel depicts the translation of the sacred body of Saint Philomena, while the third panel shows the Curé d'Ars promoting the glories of Saint Philomena.

The first panel on the right shows Saint Philomena protecting the town of Mugnano del Cardinale. The central panel depicts the miracle of Pauline Jaricot that occurred on August 8, 1835. In the last lower panel St. Philomena with the royal family of Naples and the Popes wishing hope of peace for St. Philomena's family.

The base of the portal shows the year of construction and the symbols of St. Philomena and the city symbol of Cardinal Mugnano.

The portal was blessed by Cardinal Luigi Poggi in the Jubilee of 2000.


Museum

Depicts the history of St. Philomena in the various stages of the martyrdoms she received from Emperor Diocletian.

The Museum of St Philomena


Ceiling

The central ceiling of the church has a Baroque-style wooden panel from the early 1600s (17th century), author unknown. The wooden coffered ceiling is composed of 9 panels of which 3 are central and 6 are side panels. The three central panels represent the glory of Mary: the first panel depicts the dormitio, the central the Assumption of Mary into heaven, and the third the coronation. The six side panels depict the most important moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary. Other rectangular panels depict the theological virtues.

Central Baroque ceiling


Organ 

A work made in the late 1900s for the celebration of the first centenary of the translation of St. Philomena's body. The sound box is inlaid with gold. The work was executed by Neapolitan artists and architect Ippolito.

Organ with inlaid gold sound box