Happy feast of St. Cecilia (and Valerian), the first
incorruptible, the only married virgin martyr Fr. Cornelius à Lapide, S.J.,
lists in his commentary on 1 Cor. 7:5, and the patroness of sacred music (cf. Philharmonia Baroque's
Scarlatti Cecilian Vespers, esp. the antiphon
Cantantibus organis, which she sung in her heart while marrying Valerian)!
Cantántibus organis, Cæcília virgo in corde suo soli Dómino decantábat, dicens: Fiat, Dómine, cor meum et corpus meum immaculátum, ut non confúndar.
Also from
matins today,
lectio 4:
Cæcília, Virgo Romana, nobili genere nata, a prima ætate christianæ fidei præceptis instituta, virginitátem suam Deo vovit. Sed, cuм póstea, contra suam voluntátem, data esset in matrimónium Valeriáno, prima nuptiárum nocte hunc cuм eo sermónem hábuit: Ego, Valeriane, in Angeli tutela sum, qui virginitátem meam custódit; quare ne quid in me committas, quo ira Dei in te concitétur. Quibus verbis commótus Valerianus, illam attingere non est ausus; quin étiam addidit se in Christum crediturum, si eum Angelum vidéret. Cui Cæcília cuм sine baptismo negaret id fíeri posse, incénsus cupiditate vidéndi Angelum, se baptizari velle respóndit. Quare hortatu Vírginis ad Urbanum Papam, qui propter persecutiónem in Mártyrum sepúlcris via Appia latebat, veniens, ab eo baptizátur.
See also
Dom Guéranger's biography of her and Maderno's beautiful sculpture
Martyrdom of Saint Cecilia:
Sancta Cæcilia, ora pro nobis!
Topic: Happy feast of St. Cecilia! (Read 333 times)