November 22 Celebration of Saints
Saint Cecilia with an Angel, by Orazio Gentileschi, public domain
November 22 Celebration of Saints
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia was born in Rome in the 2nd century AD.
The story of Cecilia is that she was forced into an arranged marriage with a nobleman named Valerian. During the wedding, she sat by herself and sang beautiful songs to God.
On the evening of their marriage, Cecilia told her husband that an angel of the Lord was watching over her, and Valerian would either be loved if he respected her virginity or punished if he violated her.
Valerian asked to see the angel and Cecilia directed him to be baptized by Pope Urban I. After he was baptized, Valerian could see the angel with Cecilia, crowning her head with roses and lilies.
Saint Cecilia and Valerian were martyred in either the late 2nd century or the early 3rd century in Sicily.
She was interred in the Catacombs of Callixtus. In the 9th century her remains were moved to the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, Italy, which had been built in the 4th century on the location of the house where she had lived.
During a church renovation in 1599 her remains were once again disinterred and reburied. At that time, Cardinal Paolo Emilio Sfondrati reported that her body was incorrupt and she appeared to be sleeping.
Santa Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians, poets, pipe organs and hymns, and her name is commemorated in the Catholic Church’s Canon of the Mass.
Her feast day has been celebrated with music and festivals since the 4th century.
The attributes of her image may include roses, her singing, or playing a flute, violin, harp, harpsichord or organ.
Other Saints for Today
Other saints and the blessed beatified for this day include:
Blessed Baldji Oghlou Ohannes, Saint Devniolin, Blessed Dimbalac Oghlou Wartavar, Saint Lucretia, Saints Mark and Stephen, Saint Maurus, Saint Philemon, Saint Tigridia and Blessed Toros Oghlou David.
