Honest?
Morally sound?
Without malice; without sin
Without decay?
Who is she? Do you know of her? The Patron Saint of Music.
In 1559, the old church that was founded in the 3rd century, reputed to be the site of Cecilia’s house and dedicated to her in 499, was undergoing another renovation.
It was believed that the 3rd c. martyred saint, Cecilia, whose name was given to the church, was buried beneath the altar, having been moved there in 822 from the Catacombs of St. Callistus on the Via Appia, by Pope Paschal I, along with those of her husband, Valerianus.
There is an autobiographical account by Pope Pascal I that records the finding of the relics, incorrupt, in a coffin of cypress wood, wrapped in a shroud embellished with gold thread with blood-stained clots balled around her feet. The pope records that he, himself, enshrined the relics and coffin in a marble sarcophagus under the altar of his newly expanded basilica.
The 1559 Cardinal Sfondrato, at the time of another restoration, had the high altar examined and issued an order that IF Cecilia’s relics were discovered, she would be reinterred in a proper coffin at the altar of the church that bears her name – this Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere (over the Tiber).
The exhumation was so significant that noted historians and artists were called in to record the discovery.
The sculptor, Stephano Maderno, 23-year-old brother of Carlo Maderno, (one of the architects of the new rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica), was given the papal commission of creating a permanent likeness of Saint Cecilia when her body was exhumed.
A marble slab records his sworn statement that he recorded the body as he saw it when the tomb was opened.
Cecilia lay, as originally placed, on a marble slab, preserved, pure and without decay. She was face down, a veil covering her head, and a ribbon over her severed neck.
Her cadaver still had the congealed blood of the three ax strokes made by the Roman centurion.
Three fingers were open on the right hand and one on the left. According to Martyrology, the saint wished to show her faith in the Trinity in the Unity of God.
Her dress was pulled between her knees and down to her toes as though she had rolled over in bed rather than a morgue slab.
She was incorrupt.
There were more sworn statements made at the time of the exhuming by many who were present. The accuracy of Maderno’s creation is breathtaking.
Maderno did many drawings of her, and at the request of the church, carved in accurate detail, this life-size replica of her body, including the scar of her beheading, her martyrdom. The cut in her neck and the twist of her head indicate that she is dead. The Romans intended to decapitate her, but her head did not separate.
Baroque sculpture (late 16th until mid 17th century) made a significant stylistic break from that of the Renaissance.
It was usually life-size or larger, full of grandeur and passion, at times extremely dramatic.
It was realistic to the point of discomfort in the literal representation of violence or trauma.
It was deeply cut, allowing for strong light and deep shadows, adding to the drama.
The pathos, and the accuracy, of this memorial is one of the finest and most emotional of the period.
It takes your breath.
It takes you to the martyrdom.
The sculpture is in the Church of Santa Cecilia in Trastevere, above her tomb.
Her husband, Valerianus, is buried in the crypt.
A little background on Cecilia: According to early records (Martyrologium Hieronymianum), Celilia was born into a noble Roman family in the early 3rd century. She was raised from infancy as a Christian and she devoted her life to Christ. She was given in marriage by her parent to a noble pagan youth, Valerianus.
After the celebration of the marriage, Cecilia told Valerianus that she was betrothed to an angel who guarded her body. Therefore, Valerianus must not violate her virginity and if he wished to see the angel he should go to the third milestone of the Via Appia and meet the Bishop, Pope Urbanus.
Valerianus obeyed, was baptized and returned to her, a Christian.
When is brother, Tiburtius, came to them, he was won over to Christianity. They were all zealous children of the Faith.
They distributed alms to the poor and buried the bodies of the martyrs for Christianity. They were condemned to death by the Roman authorities.
An officer, Almachius, of the perfect, Maximus, was appointed to execute them and he was then converted and suffered eventual martyrdom with the two brothers.
Then Maximus hunted for Cecilia. Before she was taken prisoner she arranged for her house to be given to Pope Urbanus as a place of worship for the Roman church.
She was first condemned to suffocation in the bath of her house. She remained unhurt in the overheated room.
Then she was condemned to beheading.
The Roman sword fell three times (the limit) without separating the head form the trunk.
The soldier fled and left her bathed in her own blood.
She lived three days, giving more to the poor and giving her house to Pope Urbanus.
Pope Urbanus buried her among the bishops in the Catacomb of Callistus, a 2nd century catacomb for popes, bishops and many Christians.
Her persecution was during the reign of Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (225-235).
Her feast day is November 22.