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ST Cecilia Saint Project Part Two - Robic
ST Cecilia Saint Project Part Two - Robic
Mr. Campbell
Religion II
12/15/17
Saint Cecilia
Saint Cecilia was a young girl living in Rome. She was born into a rich and wealthy
family, but was close to God her whole life. She promised her purity and virginity to God at a
young age. When she was older, however, she was unwillingly forced to marry. Before her
wedding, Saint Cecilia prayed to and invoked the protection of the saints, angels, and virgins.
She asked them to help protect her virginity. After the wedding ceremony, she told her husband
that she wished to remain pure, and that an angel was guarding her. Her husband, a noble named
Valerian, agreed to this, if she let him see her angel. Valerian was only able to do so, if he
traveled past the third milestone on Appian Way and was baptized by the pope.
Through his trust in Saint Cecilia, her husband did just this, and was converted to
Catholicism. After traveling back to his wife, he was greeted by the sight of her beside an angel.
Upon hearing about Saint Cecilia’s angel and Valerian baptism, Tibertius, Valerian’s brother,
was also moved by the faith and became baptized. The two brothers proceeded to follow Saint
Cecilia’s example and dedicate their lives to the faith. Valerian and Tibertius chose to honor God
by taking it upon themselves to bury those who died for their faith. Because of their work, the
brothers were brought before Almachius, the prefect of the city. Almachius was the same prefect
Upon hearing of the deaths of her husband and brother-in-law, Saint Cecilia decided to
prepare for the future. She made plans to turn her home into a church, distributed her belongings
to the poor, converted many, and buried Valerian’s and Tibertius’s bodies in the villa. These
actions angered Almachius. Saint Cecilia was brought before him and ordered to give sacrifice to
false gods. Forever strong in her faith, she refused. The prefect ordered her death as suffocation
in the baths. This meant that she was sealed in the bathhouse while the flames were fueled. She
stayed here for twenty-four hours and did not perish. This infuriated the prefect even more and
she was ordered to be beheaded. The executioner struck her three times, but failed to kill Saint
Cecilia. After he fled, she was left bleeding and dying for three days and nights. Crowds came
from all over to see her, and even as she was dying, Saint Cecilia continued to convert those who
wished to be. On the third day, she finally succumbed to her wounds and was buried by Pope
Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of music, musicians, purity, and martyrs. She became the
patron saint of music and musicians because she was said to have heard heavenly music in her
heart. She is the patron saint of purity and incorruptness because of her commitment to God and
to her virginity. I chose her not only because the name Cecilia runs in my family, but also
because I am inspired by her faith and trust in God. Even through all Saint Cecilia endured, from
the loss of her husband and brother-in-law, to her own trial and drawn out execution, she never
faltered in her faith. Her never ending trust in God inspires me every day.
Saint Cecilia,
Amen.
Works Cited
Online, Catholic. “St. Cecilia - Saints & Angels.” Catholic Online, Catholic Online,
www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=34.