Though she had vowed to preserve her virginity for Christ, her parents decided to give her in marriage to the noble pagan Valerian. Cecilia did not oppose her parents, but tearfully prayed to God that her betrothed would believe in Christ, and that He would send an angel to preserve her virginity.
Cecilia told Valerian that she had an angel of the Lord watching over her who would punish him if he dared to violate her virginity, but who would love him if he could respect her maidenhood. When Valerian asked to see the angel, Cecilia replied that he would see the angel if he would go to the third milestone on the Via Appia and be baptized by Pope Urbanus. Both he and his brother Tiburtius converted to Christianity.
Having learned of their conversion, Governor Almachius gave orders to arrest the brothers and bring them to trial. He demanded that they renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the pagan gods, but they refused. They were then beaten. Under torture, Valerian urged his fellow Christians not to be afraid of torments, but to stand firm for Christ.
The martyrdom of St. Cecilia is said to have followed that of Valerian and his brother. For three days, she was tortured with fire and smoke in a red-hot bathhouse, but the grace of God sustained her. It was then ordered that she be beheaded, but the executioner – after striking her three times with a sword – only wounded her.
St. Cecilia lived three more days in full consciousness, encouraging those around her, she sang to herself until Jesus brought her home to heaven, and died with prayer on her lips.
Given that, St. Cecilia is the patroness of musicians. It is also written that as the musicians played at her wedding she "sang in her heart to the Lord."
The
altar at Santa Cecilia in Trastevere enshrines the remains of its
titular Saint. The marble carving is said to duplicate the state her
body was found in ...
One craft to do in honor of St. Cecilia is to make a harp our of foil and yarn or string:
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