St. Cecilia, November 22nd

 

Today, is the feast of St. Cecilia. In the evening of her wedding-day, with the music of the marriage-hymn ringing in her ears, Cecilia, a rich, beautiful, and noble Roman maiden, renewed the vow by which she had consecrated her virginity to God. She exclaimed, "Pure be my heart and undefiled my flesh; for I have a spouse you know not of—an angel of my Lord." The heart of her young husband Valerian was moved by her words; and so he received Baptism, and within a few days he and his brother Tiburtius, who had been brought by him to a knowledge of the Faith, sealed their profession of faith with their blood and died as martyrs.

Cecilia only remained. "Do you not know," was her answer to the threats of the prefect, "that I am the bride of my Lord Jesus Christ?" The death appointed for her was suffocation, and she remained a day and a night in a hot-air bath, heated seven times more than normal. But "the flames had no power over her body, neither was a hair of her head singed." The soldier sent to cut off her head, struck her head with trembling hand the three blows which the law allowed, but left her still alive.

For two days and nights Cecilia lay with her head, half severed on the pavement of her bath, fully sensible, and joyfully awaiting her crown; on the third day, the agony was over, and in 177 the virgin Saint gave back her pure spirit to Christ. St. Cecilia’s is believed to be the first incorrupt saint and her body is still incorrupt and located in the Basilica of St. Cecilia in Trastevere Rome.

Today—St. Cecilia teaches us to rejoice in every sacrifice as a pledge of our love of Christ, and to welcome sufferings and death as hastening our union with Him. (from Lives of the Saints)