Cecilia

[patriarch]

I was really taken with Wolsely's mysteries of the rosary based on the life of St. Francis, and it seemed to me that the same short pithy means of biography might be applied to other  saints.  BTW, all of lives of Cecilia which I have found online indicate that much of her story is legendary.  HOWEVER, Dom Prosper Gueranger, the founder of Solesmes abbey, in the 400 pp book on St. Cecilia from which I am taking her biography, addresses all of the reasons that her story is called legendary and demolishes them.  All of this happened...

1. Cecilia, the daughter of noble pagan parents in Rome, converts to Christianity.

2. She vows her virginity to God.

3. Her parents arrange a marriage with Valerian, a young Roman noble.

4. After the marriage ceremony when he comes to the nuptial chamber, she confides the secret of her vow to him, telling him that she is under the protection of her guardian angel.

5. Valerian says, "If you wish me to believe you, let me see this guardian angel."

6. She says, "If you will consent to be purified by the waters of life, if thou wilt believe in the only true and living God who reigns in Heaven, thou shalt see my guardian angel"

7.  When Valerian asks who will purify him that he may see the guardian angel, she sends him to the catacombs of St. Callistus to be instructed and purified by Urban, the Bishop of Rome. "He will purify thee and clothe thee in new and white garments. On your return to this apartment, you will see the holy angel, who will then be thy friend, and obtain for thee all thou desirest.

8. Valerian goes to Urban and tells him everything.  Urban prays: "Lord Jesus Christ, author of chaste resolves, receive the fruit of the divine seed Thou hast sown in the heart of Cecilia. Cecilia, like an innocent lamb, has fulfilled the mission Thou hast confided to her. In a moment she has transformed her husband from an impetuous lion into a gentle lamb.  If Valerian did not already believe, he would not be here.  Oh, Lord! open the ear of his heart to Thy words, that he may acknowledge Thee, his Creator, and that he may forever renounce the devil, his pomps and his idols."

9.  With this the Apostle Paul appears to Valerian saying, "Read this book and believe. Thou wilt then be worthyof being purified, and of contemplating the Angel...."  and indicates this passage of scripture: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all and in us all."  Paul asks him, "Believest thou this?"  Valerian energetically indicates assent, and St. Urban at once accompanied the young man to the fountain of salvation, and admits him to the mysteries.  Then he sends him back to Cecilia.

10. This whole time Cecilia has been praying.

11.  Clad in his new white garment, Valerian respectfully re-enters the nuptial chamber and sees Cecilia praying and by her side the Angel of the Lord, his face resplendent as lightning.

12.  In his hands he has two crowns interwoven with roses and lilies. Placing them on their heads he says, Merit to preserve these crowns by the purity of your hearts, and the sanctity of your bodies. I bring them fresh from the garden of Heaven. These flowers will never fade, nor lose their celestial fragrance; but no one can see them who has not endeared himself to heaven, as you have done by virginal purity.  And now Valerian, as a reward for your acquiesence in the chaste desires of Ceclia, Christ the Son of God has sent me to you to receive any request you wish to make of him.

13. Valerian requests the conversion of his brother Tiburtius.  After a time Tiburtius comes, and remarking on the smell of flowers says with astonishment that the fragrance seems to renew his very being.

(to be continued- This is shaping up as a 30 decade rosary )

 

[Wolseley]

Good job!

If I ever get two seconds to myself again, I may do a few on the life of St. Patrick.

My patron saint, dont'cha know.

 

[patriarch]

14. "It is I, O Tibertius," replied Valerian, "who have obtained for thee favor of enjoying this sweet odor, and if thou wilt only believe, thou wilt also see the flowers whence it comes. Thou wilt then know Him whose blood is crimson as roses, whose flesh is white as lilies. Cecilia and I wear crowns which thy eyes cannot yet behold...

15. "Is this all a dream, Valerian, or art thou speaking the truth?" cried Tiburtius. "Until now, "replied Valerian, "our whole life has been a dream.  At last we have discovered the truth, and there is no deceit in us; the gods we adored are but devils."

16. "How dost thou know this?" asked Tiburtius.  Valerian answered: "The angel of God instructed me, and thou canst also see this blessed spirit if thou wilt consent to be purified from the stain of idolatry."  "How long must I wait for this purification which will render me worthy of beholding the Angel of God?" "A very short time," replied valerian; "only swear to me that thou dost renounce the idols and acknowledge there is one God, who dwells in Heaven." "I cannot undersand," cried Tiburtius, "why thou dost exact of me this promise."

17.  Cecilia said, "I am astonished, Tiburtius, that thou hast not already understood that statues of clay, wood, stone, brass, or any other metal, cannot be gods. How can anyone esteem as gods, vain idols upon which    spiders spin their webs, and birds build their nests? Statues composed of metals drawn from the earth by the hands of malefactors condemned to the mines!  Tell me Tiburtius, is there any difference between a corpse and an idol? ..."

18. Tiburtius, suddenly impressed with the emptiness of the idols before he had offered incense, exclaimed: "Yes, it is so, and he who does not understand it is on a level with the brutes."  Cecilia, overcome with joy at this reply, pressed to her heart the pagan who had already begun to see the light.  "I recognize thee as my brother!" she exclaimed. "THe love of Christ has made Valerian my husband; the contempt thou dost profess for idols makes me thy sister.  The moment has arrived when thou wilt believe; go then, with thy brother, and receive the sacrament of regeneration.  Thou shalt then see the angel and obtain forgiveness for all thy sins."

19. Tiburtius then turned to Valerian: "Who is the man to whom you wilt conduct me?"  "A great personage," replied Valerian; "he is called Urban; he is a venerable old man, with white hair and an angelic countenance, whose conversation is full of truth and wisdom." "Can it be," said Tiburtius,' the Urban whom the Christians call their Pope?  I have heard that he has already been twice condemned and that he is concealed in some subterranean vaults, I know not where. If he be discovered, he will be cast to the flames, and if we are found with him, we will share his fate.  Thus in recompense for seeking a divinity concealed in Heaven, we will suffer upon earth cruel torments.

20. Cecilia came to his assistance, "If this life were the only one, if there were no other, we would be reasonable in fearing to lose it; but if their be another life which will never end, should we dread losing that which is transitory; when at the price of this sacrifice, we shall win that which shall last forever?"

21. With these and many other arguments she won her brother in law to the faith.  But two days had elapsed since the marriage of Cecilia, when Tiburtius received the grace of baptism, and thus, Christian virginity reaped its glorious fruit.

22. Valerian and Tiburtius took leave of Cecilia, whose presence in this once pagan house   had been the pledge of so many favors, and hastily set out in search of Urban.

22. He received Tiburtius with joy, and the young man soon descended into the pool of salvation, whence he returned purified, relieved of his burden, breathing with delight the pure air of the new life which had so ardently longed to embrace.... The young man was completely changed ; the symbolical palms and crowns which he had seen engraved upon the martyrs' tombs, excited new ardor in his soul; he may, perhaps, have had some presentiment that the day was not far distant when his own mortal remains, and those of Valerian, would be buried by Cecilia under the funereal arches where he had received the mystery of his regeneration. In awaiting this glorious consummation, the angels of God frequently visited and conversed with him.  If he breathed a desire to heaven, these celestial messengers hastened to obtain it for him whom they already considered their brother.

23. Valerian and Tiburtius distinguished themselves among all the Christians of Rome by their zeal in gathering the bodies of the martyrs.  They spent their wealth in preparing places of interment for these generous athletes, poor according to the flesh, but already kings in the palaces of heaven.  Eager to testify their respect for these precious remains, they anointed them with the richest perfumes, while at the same time by abundant alms they provided for those families which, by the loss of their principal members, had been deprived of the means of subsistence.

(to be continued- Maybe this will take 45 decades)

 

 

 

[VOW]

To Patriarch:

MORE!! MORE!!

This is GREAT STUFF!


Thanks,
~VOW

 

[AngelAmidala]

Hey...this is a great topic!!

The story of St. Cecelia was in the Nun's Tale (I think) from the Canterbury Tales by Chaucer that I read last semester. And I thought it was so great!

 

[patriarch]

24. Almachius, the prefect of Alexander Severus the emperor, has Valerian and Tiburtius brought before his tribunal to remonstrate with them about their conduct, but he does not wish to condemn them for they are of the patrician class.  However, Valerian and Tiburtius' condemnations of the gods and proclamation of Christ is so strong that Almachius feels he has no choice but to condemn them. The sentence was immediately pronounced: the two brothers are to be conducted to the Pague Tripopius on the Appian Way, near the fourth milestone.  At the end of the route, there was a temple of Jupiter... Here Valerian and Tiburtius are to be invited  to burn incense before the idols, and in case of their refusal, were to be beheaded.

25.  They are accompanied to the place of execution by Maximus, the prefect's notary. At the sight of the two patricians, walking so cheerfully to execution, and conversing together with tenderness and tranquil joy, Maximus could not restrain his tears, and turning towards them, he exclaimed, "O noble and brilliant flowers of the Roman youth! O brothers united by such tender love!  You persist in despising the gods, and at the very moment when you lose everything you hasten to death as to a banquet!"

26. Tiburtius explains to him the cause of their joy and Maximus replies that if he were as certain of such a future life, he would also despise the present life.

27. Valerian filled with the Holy Spirit says, "Since you only require proof of the truth we have announced to you, receive the promise I now make to you. At the moment when it shall please Our Lord  to grant us the grace to shed our blood for the confession of His name, He will deign to open your eyes and permit you to see the glory into which we shall enter.  The only condition of this favor is that you repent of your past sins."

28. "I accept," says Maximus, "and call down upon myself the thunderbolts of heaven, if from that moment I do not confess as the only true God, Him who reserves for us a life beyond the grave.  Now therefore you have but to show me the vision which you have promised."

29.  However, the two brothers were unwilling to die before seeing him regenerated in the baptismal waters, so they said to him, "Persuade our executioners to conduct us to your house; they can guard us there  without losing sight of us for a moment.  We ask for but a day's delay. We will send for him who will purify you, and this very night you shall see what we have promised you."

30. Maximus then led the martyrs with their accompanying escort to his house, where Valerian and Tiburtius at once commenced to explain to him the Christian doctrine. The notary's family and the soldiers were present; grace touched their hearts; they were convinced by the powerful words of the two apostles, and declared themselves believers in Jesus Christ.

31. Cecilia had been informed by Valerian and at nightfall she entered the house of Maximus accompanied by several priests.  It must have been sweet for these favored servants of God to converse together about His holy designs in their regard, and to recall the many graces which he had bestowed upon them, from the mysterious interview in the nuptial chamber to the present moment, when the palm of martyrdom was already within Valerian's reach.

32. In the presence of Cecilia, of her husband and of her brother, amidst hymns of thanksgiving to God, Maximus, with his family and the soldiers, solemnly professed the Christian faith, and the priests poured upon their heads the regenerating waters of baptism. The house of Almachius' notary had become a temple, and those who dwelt in it during those few hours stolen from heaven, seemed animated by one heart and one soul.

33.  The rising sun ushered in the day of the martyrdom of Valerian and Tiburtius- the eighteenth of the calends of May.  A solemn silence succeeded to the transports which faith had awakened in every heart. It was interrupted by Cecilia, who gave the signal for departure, quoting the words of St. Paul: "Arise soldiers of Christ! cast off the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light.  You have fought a good fight, you have finished your course;you have kept the faith.  For the rest there is laid up for you a crown of justice, which the Lord, the just judge, will render to you, and to all who love his coming."

{The Acts of St. Cecilia say, "Igitur cum aurora noctis finem daret, facto magno silentio, sancta Cecilia dixit eis: Eis milites Christi, abjicite opera tenebrarum, etc.}

34. The martyrs finally arrived at the Pagus.  The priests of Jupiter were waiting with incense.  They commanded Tiburtius and Valerian to pay homage to the idol.  The brothers refused, and throwing themselves on their knees, offered their necks to the executioners.  The Christian soldiers could not draw their swords upon the martyrs.  Others, however, offered to supply their place, and the two noble youths received, at once, death and the crown of life.  At this moment, heaven was opened to the eyes of Maximus who gazed upon the happiness of the saints.

35. Cecilia buried the dear and holy remains in the cemetery of Pretextatus, near the second milestone.  She anointed them with the richest perfumes; raised over them the triumphal stone, engraven with the palm and crown, symbols of their glorious victory...Not far from their tombs, she was soon to rest her heaven-crowned brow, and twine her palm with that of her husband.

 

 

[Caedmon]

Originally posted by Wolseley
If I ever get two seconds to myself again, I may do a few on the life of St. Patrick.

My patron saint, dont'cha know.

Saints presaaarve us!

 

[patriarch]

36. Returned to Rome, Maximus, burning with divine love, unceasingly repeated that he had caught a glimpse of heaven. He affirmed on oath, that, at the moment when the martyrs were struck by the sword, he had seen the angels of God resplendent as suns, and had beheld the souls of Valerian and Tiburtius leave their bodies... While saying these words, he shed tears of joy.   Many pagans while listening to him, were converted, renouncing their idols, and believed in the one only God, Creator of all things.

37. The news of his notary's conversion soon reached Almachius.  The notary's fate was soon decided.  He was not beheaded as the two patricians had been; the prefect caused him to be beaten to death with whips loaded with lead, which was the punishment of persons of inferior rank. The martyr courageously rendered up his soul to God and Cecilia buried him with her own hands.  She chose a sepulchre near those of her husband and brother.

38. Meanwhile, Almachius had ordered the confiscation of all property belonging to Valerian and Tiburtius. But the prudent and charitable Cecilia had already distributed them to the poor, thus sending all her treasures before her, on the eve of her departure for her celestial country.

40. Cecilia was so well known in Rome by her noble birth, her husband's death, and that of his brother, had been accompanied by so many remarkable circumstances, and her profesion of Catholicity was so public, that the Prefect of Rome felt it was absolutely necessary to require her to sacrifice to the gods.

41. Hoping to avoid the publicity of a trial whch might end tragically, and which would certainly compromise still more the responsibility of a magistrate acting in the Emperor's absence and without his orders, he sent officers of justice to the virgin's dwelling with the proposal that she should privately sacrifice to the gods.

42. The officers entered Cecilia's dwelling, and laid before her the prefect's proposition. The virgin easily perceived the emotion they experienced in gazing upon her gentle and dignified countenance. Respect, deference, and evident embarrassment in fulfilling their mission, were apparent in their words, and even their attitudes.

43. Cecilia replied to their proposal with heavenly calmness.  "Citizens and brothers," said she, "hear me. You are the magistrate's officers, and in the depths of your hearts you despise his impious conduct. I am only too happy to suffer all kinds of torments for the confession of Jesus Christ, for I have not the slightest attachment to this life; but I pity you, who, still in the flower of your youth, are condemned to obey the orders of an unjust judge." The officers of Almachius could scarcely refrain from weeping at these words, so distressing did it seem to see this young, noble and talented patrician lady actually longing for death; they besought her not to sacrifice so many advantages.

44. The virgin interrupted them: "To die for Christ is not to sacrifice one's youth, but to renew it; it is giving vile dross for gold; excahanging a mean and miserable dwelling for a magnificent palace; relinquishing a perishable thing, and receiving in return an immortal gift."

45. "If anyone should offer you today a large amount of gold, upon the sole condition that you should give in return the same weight of a baser metal, would you not show the greatest eagerness in making so advantageous an exchange?  Would you not urge your parents, associates, and friends to share your good fortune?" 

46. "If anyone should try to induce you, even with tears, not to accept such an offer, would you not consider him insane?..."

47. The officers, completely conquered by this discourse, were unable to conceal their emotion.  In the enthusiasm of her zeal, Cecilia  mounted upon a marble stand,  and in an inspired voice exclaimed, "Do you believe what I have told you?"  Their reply was unanimous: "Yes, we believe that Christ, the Son of God, who possesses such a servant, is the one true God."

48. "Go, then, " Cecilia resumed, "and tell that miserable Almachius  that I ask a delay; that I beg he will defer my martyrdom for a short period.  Then return here and you will find him who will render you participants of eternal life."

49.  The officers, already Christians in their hearts, carried Cecilia's message to the prefect, who, by a dispensation of Divine Providence, deferred summoning the virgin before his tribunal.

50. Cecilia immediately sent a messenger to Pope Urban, informing him of her approaching martyrdon, and of the new conversions which she had effected. Besides the officers of Almachius, a number of persons of every age, sex, and condition, principally from the Trasteverine region, touched by divine grace, ardently desired baptism.

51. St. Urban was desirous of coming himself to reap so rich a harvest, and to bless the heroic virgin, who would in a few days extend to him from heaven the palm of martyrdom.... The baptism was celebrated with much splendor; more than four hundred persons received the grace of regeneration.

52. Cecilia, desirous of preventing the confiscation of her goods, employed the last hours of her life in making over to one of the converts named Gordian, all claims to her house, that it might thenceforth serve as an assembly for the Christians, and increase the number of Roman churches.

53. Notwithstanding the danger, St. Urban remained under Cecilia's roof for several days, during which time, her house was a centre whence the rays of divine grace were diffused throughout Rome, for the advancement of the Church, and the destruction of the empire of Satan.. At length, Cecilia was summoned before Almachius.