This devotion happened very simply . On the octave (which is 8 days after the arrival of the sacred body on the 10th August) of the translation of the Reliquary of Saint Philomena to Mugnano, a woman from Avella, full of faith in God, dipped a finger into the oil of the lamp which burned in front of the altar of the Saint, and anointed the eyelids of her blind child with it. The child immediately received sight, to the astonishment of all present.

This pious practice, born spontaneously among the Saint’s devotees, was approved by the Congregation of Rites on September 15, 1883. Later, on April 4, 1884, Leo XIII enriched it with precious indulgences. It consists in carrying, tied around the body, a cord of wool, linen or cotton, colored white and red to indicate the virginity and martyrdom of Saint Philomena. The devotion is very widely practiced, especially outside Italy, to obtain spiritual and corporal graces. It has been made obligatory for those who carry the Cord to recite each day the following prayer:

The Cord approved by the Sacred Congregation in honor of St. Philomena ought to be made of linen, wool, or cotton of a white and red color, with two knots at one end to honor her double title of virgin and martyr.

It is worn under the dress as a girdle. No ceremony is required in conferring it, but it should be blessed beforehand and passed or sent by one person to another. When worn out, the new Cord also must be blessed. Children, however young, may receive the Cord.

In putting on the Cord, everyone ought to propose to himself constantly to honor St. Philomena, in order to merit her protection against all evils of soul and body, and also to obtain, through her intercession, perfect chastity, the spirit of faith so necessary in the unhappy times in which we live, and the grace of doing violence to oneself so as to lead a Christian life.

Those who wear the Cord are counseled to say every day the following prayer:

This devotion, owed to the Holy Curé of Ars, consists in reciting:

the Creed,

three Our Fathers (the white beads) in honour of the Blessed Trinity, and

thirteen Hail O Holy Saint.... or 13 Hail Mary’s with Saint Philomena, pray for us, (red beads). The thirteen prayers remind us of the age of our Little Saint.