Saint Philomena - Briggsville, Wisconsin
N 43° 39.583 W 089° 35.277
16T E 291327 N 4837334
In the late 1940's a self sacrificing priest devoted his frail energy to calling the world to venerate a Virgin-Martyr, known as Saint Philomena. It was through the efforts of Father I.C. Wiltzius that the Shrine to Saint Philomena was established.
Waymark Code: WM6D4Y
Location: Wisconsin, United States
Date Posted: 05/15/2009
Views: 3
Saint Philomena found a secondary home in the U.S.A., in Briggsville, Wisconsin, far from her home in Mugnano, Italy, where her remains rest.
Father I.C. Wiltzius came from the Milwaukee area and with him he brought a First Class Relic of the Little Virgin Martyr. Father Maurice Dorney obtained the relic in Naples in 1937. Saint Philomena made her entry into Briggsville on the last Sunday of August 1947. The Shrine dedicated to her honor was started on August 8, 1949.
The outdoor shrine was planned by a replica of the dungeon where the young Martyr-Saint, Philomena, had suffered and died to preserve her virginity. The upper structure is built of granite from many parts of the world. The red granite, which predominates, is the genuine Montello Stone, from Montello, twenty-five miles distant from Briggsville. The stone layer, a man of seventy-six and his helper a boy of sixteen completed the structure on September 1, 1950. There is forty-five tons of granite in the superstructure alone, all hauled and laid by the two. Old Jake used a cane to support himself because he was badly crippled until the fourth day of work, when his "little girl friend", as he fondly called St. Philomena, fixed him up, he swears. He discarded the cane and did not use it again.
The statute of Saint Philomena is of carrera marble imported from Italy. It is six foot three inches high. Father Wiltzius's house keeper, told of the arrival of the statute. "The pine packing case was opened to determine whether the statue was undamaged and then was nailed shut again." That night, there was a lot of racket and the sides of the packing case were knocked clear across the street." she said. "You might say now that was strange, but it really happened." Father said the Saint was impatient to have the shrine completed and she wanted to get out of her case.
Source-Brochure: Her devoted servant - Susan Hilliard
Director of Her Wisconsin Archconraternity Chapter and Manager of her National Shrine is pleased to share this information.
Associated Religion(s): Catholic
Statue Location: Next to St. Mary Help of Christians
Entrance Fee: Free
Artist: Carrera marble imported from Italy, artist unknown
Website: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the statue. A waymarker and/or GPSr is not required to be in the image but it doesn't hurt.