St. Cecilia 1 Prayer Card

Latin  “Blind One”

Feast Day November 22nd

In the third century, there was a virgin named Cecilia who consecrated herself to the Lord.  She prayed for the angels to keep her pure.  She was given in marriage to a young man named Valerian. She told her husband about the angels who watched over her.  He was sent to Pope St. Urban, who baptized him.  When he returned he saw Cecilia praying and an angel beside her with flaming wings holding two crowns of roses and lilies, which he placed on their heads.  Tibertius, Valerian’s brother came in and was amazed at the beauty of the flowers and their fragrance because those flowers were not in bloom at that time of year.  When Tibertius heard how they had received the crowns, he wanted to be baptized.  After that the two brothers buried the bodies of the martyrs.  They were arrested and when they refused to sacrifice to the gods, they were executed by the sword.

Cecilia converted many people by her preaching.  She was arrested and condemned to suffocate in the Roman baths.  When that failed, a executioner was sent to cut off her head.  He struck her three times and could not sever her head.  He left her bleeding and she lived for three days.  During this time she sang to the Lord.  She refused to die until she had received Holy Communion.  She was buried by Pope Urban and his deacons.