St. Cecilia

Today the Church celebrates the memorial of St. Cecilia, virgin and martyr. One of the most famous and most venerated of Roman martyrs, her body was discovered in 822 and transferred to the church that bears her name in Trastevere in Rome.

Legend recounts the Saint's martyrdom and that of her husband St. Valerian, also of St. Tiburtius, her brother-in-law and places her martyrdom in the pontificate of Urban I (222-230); but the authenticity of this account cannot be established. Her martyrdom probably occurred during the reign of Emperor Alexander Severus, about the year 230.

Since the Middle Ages, Cecilia has been honoured as patroness of church music, a practice having its source in a false application of a passage from the Office (cantantibus organis).

Apart from the fact of her martyrdom, we know practically nothing about her that is historically genuine. She vowed her virginity to God, but her parents married her to Valerian of Trastevere. She told her new husband that she was accompanied by an angel, but in order to see it, he must be purified. He agreed to the purification, and was baptised; returning from the ceremony, he found her in prayer accompanied by a praying angel. The angel placed a crown on each of their heads, and offered Valerian a favour; the new convert asked that his brother be baptised.

During the persecutions, the two brothers gave proper burial to martyrs. In their turn they were arrested and martyred for their faith. Cecilia buried them at her villa and was arrested for the action. She was ordered to sacrifice to false gods; when she refused, she was martyred in her turn.