- 12 August, 2026
MYSURU, August 12, 2026: The Diocese of Mysuru marked the centenary of the arrival of the Sacred Relic of St Philomena in the city with a solemn Eucharistic celebration and thanksgiving procession at St Joseph’s Cathedral on August 11.
The Jubilee celebration commemorated 100 years since the relic of the young virgin and martyr was brought from Rome to Mysuru in 1926. Priests, religious, seminarians, parish leaders and hundreds of faithful participated in the celebration.
The relic was brought to Mysuru by T. R. V. (Thamboo) Chetty, Huzur Secretary to Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV, who obtained it from Rome through Archbishop Peter Pisani, Apostolic Delegate to the East Indies. A statue of St Philomena and blessed oil were also brought to the city.
Placed for public veneration, the relic soon became a focus of devotion, attracting pilgrims from Mysuru and neighbouring regions. Over the years, devotees have attributed healings, protection, conversions and other favours to the intercession of St Philomena.
The growing devotion eventually inspired the construction of a church dedicated to the saint. Fr René Jean Feuga, then parish priest, envisioned a shrine worthy of St Philomena. Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV laid the foundation stone of the present Gothic-style cathedral on October 28, 1933. Completed in 1941, the cathedral became the permanent shrine of St Philomena, with her sacred relic enshrined beneath the main altar.
Bishop Francis Serrao, SJ, of Mysuru presided over the Jubilee Eucharist. In his homily, he described the centenary not merely as an anniversary but as an occasion to thank God for the blessings received through the intercession of St Philomena.
Drawing on the biblical understanding of Jubilee in Leviticus 25, the Bishop said the occasion should be marked by thanksgiving, reconciliation, forgiveness, restoration, freedom and spiritual renewal.
Reflecting on the Gospel passage from John 12:24, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit,” Bishop Serrao said St Philomena’s life and martyrdom embodied the message of the Gospel.
He compared the arrival of the relic in Mysuru in 1926 to the planting of a seed that, through God’s providence, had grown into a tree of faith. The devotion associated with the relic, he said, had borne fruit in healing, conversions, strengthened families, vocations to priesthood and religious life, deeper Eucharistic devotion and numerous other blessings.
The Bishop urged the faithful to regard the Jubilee as a new beginning rather than the conclusion of a century of devotion. He called on Christians to overcome selfishness, sin, fear and indifference so that their lives could bear fruit through holiness, charity and joyful witness.
Following the Eucharist, the faithful took part in a solemn procession in honour of St Philomena, carrying candles and singing hymns and prayers of thanksgiving.
The Diocese of Mysuru expressed gratitude to God for the Sacred Relic, which has remained a source of faith and hope for generations of Catholics. Appreciation was also extended to priests, religious, parish organisations, volunteers, benefactors and devotees who contributed to the Jubilee celebrations.
The centenary celebration concluded with a renewed call to imitate St Philomena’s courage and steadfast faith and to become instruments of God’s love and blessing for future generations.
The Jubilee, organisers said, is both a thanksgiving for a century of grace and a call to continue sowing the seeds of faith so that they may bear fruit for generations to come.
By Fr. Arul Selva- Mysore
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