Saints are people, who are accepted as being holy, religious, and virtuous. In Christianity, more than thousands of saints gave up their life for God or died for Jesus Christ. This volume are true-to-life stories of saints who were born between 10...
Cecilia was born around 2nd century in Rome, Italy. In a young age, she devoted herself to Jesus Christ, so she became a Christian.
According to the legend, despite her vow of virginity, she was forced by her parents to marry Valerian, a Roman pagan. During the wedding between Cecilia and Valerian, she sat apart singing to God in her heart.
When the time came for her marriage to be consummated, Cecilia told her husband, Valerian, that an angel of the Lord was watching them. She warned him if he sexually violated her virginity, the angel of the Lord will punish him. Cecilia told Valerian that she would love him, if he respected her virginity. Valerian saw Cecilia's sincerity, however, he needed a sign to prove that the angel of the Lord was watching them, so he asked her to see the angel of the Lord. Cecilia replied that he could see the angel, if he would go to the third milestone on the Via Appia and be baptized by Pope Urban I to be a Christian. After following Cecilia's instructions, he saw the angel of the Lord, standing beside her and crowning her with a of roses and lilies.
Days past, the judge, Turcius Almachius, ordered Cecilia to sacrifice herself to the Roman gods, however, she refused. Turcius condemned her to be suffocated by a steam, but God protected her. Then, Turcius ordered a Roman soldier to behead her with the sword. He struck her with the sword three times, but did not cut off her head. Afraid, the executioner ultimately fled leaving Cecilia alive and fully conscious pavement of her bath, with her head half severed. Suddenly, she fell down and badly wounded. Cecilia remained alive for three days until she received the Holy Communion. After receiving the Blessed Sacrament, she died. Before she died, she asked the Pope to renovate her home and turn it into a church.
Cecilia was buried in the Catacomb of Callixtus. Days later, her body was transferred to the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere. After fourteen centuries past, in the year of 1599, they found her body remained incorrupt. It showed that she was lying on her right side, her hands crossed in prayer before her. She turned her face to the floor and remaining in that position. The position of her fingers, three extended on her right hand and one on her left hand, were her last silent profession of faith in the Blessed Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Until now, her body is still incorrupt and her body is still in the same position.
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Cecilia was venerated in Roman and Eastern Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, and Anglican Communion. Her feast day is November 22. She has become a symbol of the Church's teaching that good music is an important part of the liturgy. Saint Cecilia is known as the patroness of all musicians and known as the first incorrupt body saint.
