St. Cecilia

The Roman noblewoman who sang to God in her heart on her wedding day and converted her husband and his brother.

The story

Married against her will, Cecilia told her husband Valerian that an angel guarded her virginity; he was baptized and saw the angel. Valerian and his brother Tiburtius were martyred for burying the dead; Cecilia was sentenced to suffocation, then beheaded, surviving three blows of the sword for three days. Her body was found incorrupt in 1599. She is named in the Roman Canon.

What Cecilia teaches

Music is prayer when the heart sings to God. Cecilia's song is the Church's whole liturgy.

Patronage

music, musicians, singers.

Prayer

St. Cecilia, patroness of music, help us sing to the Lord with our whole heart and life. Amen.