Saint Cecilia of Rome , was a Roman noblewoman who converted to Christianity and was martyred for her faith on November 22, 230 in Sicily. She is the patron saint of poets, musicians and the blind, and her attributes are the organ, the roses and the lute. Well known for being the patron saint of music, Saint Cecilia was already widely recognized by Christians in the 4th century, and later, with the passage of time, it has been venerated in both the West and the East.
The Catholic Church commemorates November 22, the day Saint Cecilia died beheaded. For this reason, November 22 is Musician’s Day. It was Pope Gregory XIII who appointed her patron saint of music, and it remains so to this day.
A good part of its history is known thanks to the discovery, in the middle of the 5th century, of some documents baptized as “Acts of the martyrdom of Saint Cecilia” . These texts reflect how he converted to Christianity and his parents married him to a nobleman. During the wedding night, she let him know that she had given herself to God, making him understand that she was keeping her virginity, guarded by an angel, for him.
The groom wanted to see the angel, and Cecilia convinced him that he would only appear to him if he was baptized, something to which he agreed. In Ancient Rome, Christians were persecuted, and Cecilia tried to drown her with steam in the baths of her house. Later, an executioner beheaded her, fulfilling his mission. The story goes that he dropped the ax three times on her without success, so he fled in terror, leaving the young woman bloody, but alive. However, he died three days later as a result of his injuries .
Musician’s Day
The Musician’s Day is celebrated on November 22, the date on which the death of Santa Cecilia is commemorated. Some sources indicate that the reason why she is the patron saint of musicians is due to the paintings of painters from the 15th century, where she was shown playing the harp and other instruments.
The origin of the Musician’s Day dates back to November 22 in the French town of Evreux, Normandy. From the year 1695 it began to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland.
