In Praise of St Cecilia

Virtually every profession, occupation or pursuit has its Patron Saint, a form of talisman or rallying figure to which reference is made whenever that activity is entered into. The Patron Saint is iconic for the activity and the actual saint is imbued with its characteristics. In the case of the art and craft of music the Patron is St Cecilia.

In the case of music the association is tenuous and probably based on a mistranslation of a description of what the saint was doing when observed. In fact St Cecilia was likely to be praying whilst music was playing in the background. This was wrongly parsed from the Latin, and read as if she were playing the organ. In fact, St Cecilia has been, at least since the 15th Century, regarded as the Patron of:

Music and Musicians
Composers
Organists
Organ Builders
Poets....

.... And is frequently depicted in art as playing at the organ. The poet John Dryden (1631-1700) wrote these lines:

“But bright Cecilia raised the wonder higher
When her organ vocal breath was given,
An angel heard, and straight appeared
- Mistaking earth for heaven.”

The rather sketchy records of her life reveal that, as from a Roman Patrician family and a Christian, she made a vow of lifetime chastity. She was betrothed to Valerian but determined to preserve her maiden state. Valerian agreed provided that he could be permitted to see the angel to whom she prayed. This was accomplished, her desire preserved and he was converted to Christianity. She was martyred in the time of Marcus Aurelius (c176AD). Associating in mediaeval times with music, many composers wrote masses and other works in her honour, including celebrated pieces by Purcell and Handel.

In the 2nd Nun’s Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer there is a reference to the saint:

“And which the organs maken melodie,
To God alone in hart thus sang she -
‘O lord my soule and eek my body gye
Unwemmed, lest confounded be’.”

- and this captures (though in Mediaeval English) the essence of the legend.

Therefore lift up your voices in songs, play your instruments, make a joyful noise unto the Lord, recognising that you have St Cecilia as your model.

Rod Dawson