Saint Cecilia

As with other saints and martyrs of the early Church, what we know about St. Cecilia is not based on historical facts, but it is known for certain that she lived and died a martyr. What we know about her life was passed by word of mouth through generations and then put in writing.
Cecilia was born some time during the 2nd or 3rd century, in Rome, into a noble and wealthy family, when Roman emperors persecuted Christians.

As a young woman, she was already a Christian even though her parents were not believers. Not only did she fast and practise other penitential acts, but she ‘pledged her life to Christ and Him alone as His bride.’ At that time young women did not have a say about their choice of a husband. Valerian. a pagan Roman nobleman was chosen for Cecilia against her wishes. Cecilia had no option. She could not oppose her father but she was determined to keep her pledge to Christ, that is, to be solely His bride.
During the wedding, Cecilia sat apart and while the music was being played, she sang with the heavenly music she felt in her heart, a prayer to her Heavenly Spouse. After the wedding Cecilia revealed to Valerian that she was a Christian and that she had pledged that her Spouse would only be Jesus Christ, a pledge of virginity guarded by an angel. Valerian was skeptical and asked to see the angel. Cecilia kept strong in her faith and directed Valerian that he needed to meet Pope Urban l , who was living in the catacombs because of the Christian persecutions of the time.
Valerian did go in search of the Holy Father. Eventually Valerian accepted to be instructed in the Christian Faith and to be baptized. When he returned to Cecilia, it is said that he did see the angel putting a crown of white lilies on Cecilia’s head symbolizing her purity and another of red roses for her martyrdom.
Valerian shared his experiences with his brother Tiburtius, who was also baptized. Both of them became active Christians, supporting the Christian community in hiding and burying the Christian Martyrs. When they were found out by the Roman authorities, they were ordered to offer sacrifices to Jupiter the Roman god which they refused to do. Maximus, a Roman Soldier was ordered to to behead them, but it is said that he also converted to the Faith on beholding a heavenly vision before carrying out the order to execute them. The three of them were executed and it was Cecilia who buried them.

Soon after Cecilia was arrested and she too refused to pay homage to Jupiter. By this time, Cecilia was a beloved member of the community, so instead of executing her publicly, the Roman Prefect ordered for her to be locked in her bathroom  with hot steam emerging from boiling water so that she would suffocate. She survived, so he ordered her beheading in her own home.The soldier struck her three times but she remained alive. As the Roman Law prohibited the striking of a fourth blow, he let her bleed to death where she was struck. She lingered for three days in great suffering. With her last breath she sang to her Heavenly Spouse, asking those near her to distribute her wealth and property to the poor. She also requested for her house to be transformed into a church.
Tradition holds that Pope Urban l built a church over the house of a ‘virgin martyr named Cecilia.’ The Basilica of Santa Cecilia stands to this day in Trastevere, Rome.