Cecilia, virgin and martyr

Biography

Cecilia is one of the saints to whom the Liturgy, art and popular piety have given the most importance. He belonged to an illustrious family of the Caecilians Metellus. It is believed that she was a Christian from a very young age, and that, from a very young age, she consecrated her virginity to Christ. A medieval Bishop, Adhelmo, in his book "VIRGINITATE", goes so far as to say that St. Cecilia is the second among the virgins, after the Mother of God, because she maintained her virginity even when she was married. Her parents had arranged Cecilia's wedding to Valeriano, from the noble Valerian family. Cecilia had her virginity consecrated to God, but she consented to the betrothal in the hope of converting Valerian, and thus being freer to consecrate herself and serve the Lord. While playing the organ and harmonizing the wedding feast, the virgin Cecilia sang to the Lord within her heart: "MAKE, LORD, MY HEART AND MY BODY IMMACULATE, SO THAT IT MAY NEVER BE CONFUSED." When the husband and wife are left alone, the wife warns Valeriano that he cannot touch her, that there is a watchful angel between their bodies "an angel that brings their souls closer and separates their arms." Valeriano shows interest in seeing him. Cecilia tells him that she will see him when he is pure. He immediately goes to the Appian Way to hear the teachings of Bishop Urban, Pope Eleuterio's assistant, according to the instructions given to him by Cecilia. Valerian goes before the Bishop, receives baptism and sees the angel, as Cecilia had promised him. He converts his brother Tiburcio. The three are condemned to die in the year 178, in the persecution of Marcus Aurelius, for publicly professing their faith. The brothers are beheaded and Cecilia is allowed to suffer martyrdom at home, in the bathroom. As the asphyxiating vapor respects it, the executioner must intervene with the sword. This does not achieve its purpose and leaves her dying, with a gash on her neck. The saint still manages to make, with signs, profession of her faith in the One and Triune God. "THIS GLORIOUS VIRGIN," we are told, "ALWAYS CARRIED THE GOSPEL ON HER CHEST, AND NEITHER DAY NOR NIGHT SHE INTERRUPTED THE DIVINE COLLOQUIA." St. Cecilia - as the Gospel parable tells - was one of the prudent virgins, who waited for the heavenly Bridegroom with the lighted lamp and the reserve oil: "THE LAMP OF FAITH WHICH SHE FEED EVERY DAY BY READING THE HOLY SCRIPTURE AND LISTENING TO THE MINISTERS OF GOD." The virginal body was deposited in the catacombs of San Callisto. In the 9th century it was transferred to the Roman Basilica of Sta. Cecilia in Trastévere, and in 1599 it was seen incorrupt. St. Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians and her life teaches us that the use of instruments and even the Liturgy itself does not have as its primary purpose the satisfaction of human feelings, but THE GLORY OF GOD.