Saint Cecilia. Virgin And Martyr. Feast Day, Today, 22 November.

Text from The Saint Andrew Daily Missal,
unless otherwise stated.

Saint Cecilia.
   Virgin and Martyr.
   Feast Day 22 November.

Double.

Red Vestments.

Saint Cecilia.

Church of Saint Cecilia, Trastevere, Rome.

In the sculpture, by Stefano Maderno (1576-1636),

Saint Cecilia extends three fingers with her Right Hand and one with her Left Hand, testifying to The Trinity. The sculptor attested that this was how the Saint's body looked when her tomb was opened in 1599.

Photographed at the Church of Saint Cecilia,

Trastevere, Rome, by Richard Stracke. Please credit the photographer and the Church.

Date: 26 September 2011 (original upload date).

Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by User:ТимофейЛееСуда using CommonsHelper

Author: Dickstracke at en.wikipedia

(Wikimedia Commons)

Born at Rome, of the illustrious family of the Coecilli,, Cecilia, as a child, consecrated her Virginity to God. When she was forced to marry Valerian, a young pagan, she said to him on the night of the wedding: "Valerian, I am placed under the guardianship of an Angel, who protects my Virginity; therefore, do not attempt anything which may bring down on thee God's anger."

Valerian dared not approach her and declared that he would believe in Jesus Christ if he saw the Angel. Cecilia assured him that this was impossible unless he was first Baptised, and sent him to Pope Urban I, who lived hidden in The Catacombs, on account of the persecutions.

Pope Urban I Baptised him and Valerian saw, near his Virginal Spouse, an Angel, brilliant with a Divine Light. Cecilia also instructed Tiburtius, the brother of Valerian, in the Faith of Jesus Christ, and Tiburtius, having been Baptised, also saw Cecilia's Angel. A short time after, both brothers were Martyred under the Prefect Almachius.

The Church of Saint Cecilia, Trastevere, Rome.

The body of The Saint lies beneath The High Altar. The Station on The Wednesday in The Second Week of Lent is held here.

Illustration: LITURGIA LATINA

Finally, the last-named arrested Cecilia and ordered her to be put to death in her house. This was about 230 A.D.

Her body was discovered in 1599 by Cardinal Sfondrati, just as it was at the moment of her death. Stefano Maderno sculptured a famous reproduction of the body, which is seen under The High Altar of her Church in Rome.

Her house was transformed into a Church, where her body lies. For many Centuries, a number of Virgins of The Order of Saint Benedict have watched over this treasure. The Church is one of the two ornaments of The Trastevere, the other being Saint Mary's. Here is held The Station on The Wednesday in The Second Week of Lent. The name of Saint Cecilia is mentioned in The Canon of The Mass (Second List).

"To the sound of musical instruments," says The First Antiphon at Vespers, "the Virgin Cecilia sang to God in her heart." On this account, she has been chosen as The Patroness of Musicians.

Mass: Loquébar de testimóniis.