Cecilia (Martyr at Rome, c. 230)
In our Diocesan Prayers of the People last Sunday we prayed for St. Cecilia and the ministry of all church musicians and choirs. Her feast day is November 22.
Our Psalm 98 began with “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things…”
I certainly give thanks for our church musicians: our current organist Nancy and our former organists (since I have been at St. James), Barbara and Ann, our occasional visiting organist Bobby, and for all the talented choir members who share their gift of music to inspire our congregation. I give thanks for the St. James Gang who leads our Alleluia III songs at Church in the Pines and at other special occasions.
Music is such an essential element of worship. Singing is praying twice.
We give thanks this week for Cecilia, the patron saint of singers, organ builders, musicians, and poets.
Cecilia sang passionately the praises of God even as she suffered deep pain, grief, and persecution.
Third Century Rome was not an easy time to be a follower of Jesus. Nevertheless, Cecilia’s faith was so deep that her pagan husband and his brother converted to Christianity. The brothers buried Christian martyrs. The local leaders of the oppressive Roman Empire tortured the brothers to death.
Cecilia proclaimed the Good News through poetry and song. When she was burying her husband and his brother, she was arrested, persecuted, but miraculously survived several attempts to put her to death. Cecilia died from her injuries during this ordeal, a martyr for the faith.
Cecilia’s remains were found several centuries later and were moved to her home region of Trastevere near Rome, where a church in her honor has existed at least since the fifth century and maybe as early as the late third century, one of the original churches of the City of Rome.
The prayer app Hallow notes that Cecilia “reminds us of the power of music to praise God and to bring comfort to those who are suffering. Her story helps us realize the power of utilizing art to transcend suffering, focus on beauty, and to connect us with God.”
Let us pray the Collect for Cecilia:
Most gracious God, whose blessed martyr Cecilia sang in her heart to strengthen her witness to you: We give you thanks for the makers of music whom you have gifted with Pentecostal fire; and we pray that we may join with them in creation’s song of praise until at the last, with Cecilia and all your saints, we come to share in the song of those redeemed by our Savior Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
God’s peace,
Judy Q +
