Saint Cecilia

Saint Cecilia is one of seven women, excluding the Blessed Virgin, commemorated by name in the Canon of the Mass. It was long supposed that she was a noble lady of Rome who, with her husband Valerian(us), his brother Tiburtius, suffered martyrdom, C. 230, under the emperor Alexander Severus.

The researches of Giovanni Battista de Rossi, however go to confirm the statement of Venantius Fortunatus, bishop of Poitiers (d. 600), that she perished in Sicily under Marcus Aurelius between 176 and 180. A church in her honor exists in Rome from about the 5th century, and was rebuilt with much splendour by Pope Paschal I around the year 820, and again by Cardinal Sfondrati in 1599.

The martyrdom of Cecilia is said to have followed that of her husband and brother by the prefect Turcius Almachius. The officers of the prefect then sought to have Cecilia killed as well. She arranged to have her home preserved as church before she was arrested. At that time, the officials attempted to kill her by locking her in an overheated bathhouse. However, the attempt failed, and she was to be beheaded. The executioner attempted to decapitate her three times unsuccessfully, at which time he fled. Cecilia survived another three days before succumbing.