Happy feast day of St. Cecilia. She is the patron of church musicians, and musicians in general. She is also the patron saint of our archdiocese; the cathedral is named for her.
Even though she came from a wealthy family, she didn't have an easy life. Though some details of her life may be apocryphal, her existence and martyrdom is considered a historical fact. She didn't want to be married, but was more or less forced into it by her family. Her husband sounds like a decent guy; according to the story he didn't force the issue about her previous vow of virginity, and was martyred himself after he converted to Christianity. Cecilia was killed in a brutal manner for professing her faith. She lived in the 2nd or 3rd century A.D., her exact dates of birth and death are not known. She is believed to have been about 25 at the time of her death.
After the tribulations of her earthly life, hopefully she enjoys her heavenly gig of being the patron of music and musicians.
I love St. Cecilia!
ReplyDeleteThe artwork in your post shows her playing the organ. Legend is that she was an organist, perhaps even invented the organ. Apparently this view is based on questionable Latin translation:
"The mistake seems to have arisen from a misinterpretation of a sentence in her Acts: "Cantantibus organis in corde suo soli Domino decantabat".
"While musical instruments were playing she was singing in her heart to God alone. The Latin "organum" also refers to the organ of speech and singing."
http://academyofsaintcecilia.co.uk/Cecilia/index.shtml
For two years our parish choir did a concert about now in honor of St. Cecilia. It died, mostly, because of competition. Now that the feast formerly known as Thanksgiving has been replaced by Black Friday Eve, and the season formerly known as the Christmas Shopping Season begins before Halloween and is known simply as THE
ReplyDeleteShopping Season, there is hardly room for anything but cheese, wine and commerce. Donald J. Trump promised to make us all say "Merry Christmas" again, but I predict we'll be calling it Last Shopping Day first. And whatever happened to January White Sales?
Our cathedral does an annual flower festival in January in honor of St. Cecilia. It is kind of a competition among the Omaha florists for over-the-top floral displays. The public is invited, and it is always well attended by people wanting a break from the bleak midwinter. It always has a theme. The year I attended the theme was the Benedicite Dominum, the canticle of the three young men from Daniel.
DeleteWhen I was a kid growing up in SW Wisconsin, I don't remember ever hearing anything about her. Out here on the Left Coast, I think much is done for/about her, either.
DeleteIf I lived in Nebraska, or even if I were back in Wisconsin, I think I could really get into a flower festival in January. Here, where the lawn that was cut a week ago is already as high a a rhino's eye, maybe not so much.
DeleteI took piano lessons from an IHM sister in elementary school. I knew about St. Cecelia if no one else did.
ReplyDeleteMy great-aunt Georgie, who was a church organist, had a picture of St. Cecilia on the wall over her home organ. There were a couple of angels showering the saint with roses.
DeleteI think I saw a similar picture in the convent music room where I took piano lessons. Hooray for Saint Cecelia.
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