Virgin and Martyr · Feast day November 22
St. Cecilia
The feast day of St. Cecilia is November 22, a memorial in the US Catholic calendar. Traditionally invoked as patron of musicians.
| Feast day | November 22 |
|---|---|
| In the US calendar | Memorial |
| Title | Virgin and Martyr |
| Died | c. 230 |
| Patron of | musicians |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
A Roman maiden of senatorial family, married against her will to the pagan Valerian — whom she converted on their wedding night, along with his brother; both died martyrs before her. While the wedding instruments played, the ancient account says, Cecilia sang in her heart to the Lord alone — the image that made her patroness of music.
Sentenced to suffocation and then beheading, she survived three strokes of the sword and lived three days more, giving away her goods. Her house became a church; when her tomb was opened centuries later, her body lay incorrupt, as the famous statue in Trastevere shows her.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. Cecilia as patron of musicians.
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Cecilia. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Cecilia keeps November 22 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of November.
All the saints of November Born on November 22? A saint for every day
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