St. Cecilia and Her Guardian Angel

Saint Cecilia’s encounter with angels and her devotion to music has inspired generations and led to her being recognized as the patron saint of musicians. Her radiant holiness drew those around her to faith in Jesus Christ.

Cecilia was a noble lady of Rome who, with her husband Valerian, his brother Tiburtius, and a Roman soldier named Maximus, suffered martyrdom in about 230, under the Emperor Alexander Severus. Giovanni Battista de Rossi, however, argues that instead she perished in Sicily under the Emperor Marcus Aurelius between 176 and 180, citing the report of Venantius Fortunatus, Bishop of Poitiers.

She was inspired by angels and saints to protect her virginity and remain faithful to her vow. Despite her vow of virginity, her parents forced her to marry a pagan nobleman named Valerian. On her wedding day, she heard heavenly music in her heart, and an angel protected her virginity on her wedding night.

Both the Catholic and Orthodox Churches place great importance on the virtue of virginity, considering it a sacred state of purity and devotion. Virginity is seen as a way to imitate Christ’s own celibate life and dedicate oneself entirely to God. By choosing to remain chaste and unmarried, individuals are believed to be able to focus their energy and love solely on their relationship with God and the service of others. Virginity is also seen as a means of preserving one’s purity and avoiding the potential distractions and temptations that can arise from romantic and sexual relationships. By abstaining from sexual activity, individuals can maintain a higher level of spiritual and moral purity, allowing them to grow closer to God and live out their faith more fully.

Those who choose a life of virginity and celibacy offer a unique gift to the Church and to God. By renouncing the possibility of physical parenthood, they are able to devote themselves fully to spiritual parenthood, nurturing and guiding others in their faith journey. Virginity is seen as a radical expression of selflessness and dedication to God’s kingdom. Those who embrace this vocation often become spiritual guides, teachers, and leaders within their communities, providing a valuable example of commitment and sacrifice.

She said to him on their wedding night, “O sweetest and most loving young man, I have a secret to confess to you…I have a lover, an angel of God, who watches over my body with exceeding zeal. If my angel senses that you are touching me with lust in your heart, he will strike you and you will lose the flower of your gracious youth. If, on the other hand, he knows that you love me with sincere love, he will love you as he loves me, and will show you his glory.”

Valerian, a skeptical pagan, asked her to show him this angel, otherwise, he would suspect Cecilia of adultery with another man.

She told him, “you cannot see the Angel because you do not know the true God. You will not be able to see the Angel until you are cleansed of the impurity of unbelief.”

“How may I be cleansed?” he asked.

She said that if he asked Bishop Urban to baptize him, he would be able to see the Angel. The Saint persuaded her husband to see Bishop Urban, who was hiding from the persecution in a cave along the Appian Way. The wise bishop’s instructions filled Valerian’s soul with joy, and after his Baptism Bishop Urban sent him home.

On returning to see Cecilia, Valerian found Cecilia praying, and saw an Angel of indescribable beauty standing beside her.

The angel held two crowns of roses and lilies in his hand, one of which he gave to Cecilia and the other to Valerian, saying: “Guard these crowns with spotless hearts and clean bodies, because I have brought them to you from Paradise. They will never wither nor lose their sweet odor, nor can they be seen by anyone except those whom chastity pleases. God sent me to you, Valerian, because you have trusted good counsel and agreed to preserve your purity, ask whatever you wish and you will have it!.”

Valerian said, “No one is dearer to me than my brother Tiburtius. I ask the Lord to deliver him from the worship of idols, and convert him, as he converted me.”

The Angel said that this request was pleasing to God, and would be granted. He also revealed that Valerian and Tiburtius would suffer martyrdom together. Soon after this, Tiburtius came to visit his brother. When he entered the house, he noticed the fragrance of roses and lilies. Valerian told him that he was able to smell the flowers because he had prayed that Tiburtius would come to love God and become worthy of an unfading crown.

“Am I dreaming,” Tiburtius exclaimed, “or are you really telling me this?”

Valerian answered, “Until now, we have been living as if in a dream, worshiping false ‘gods’ and unclean demons. Now we walk in God’s truth and grace.”

After receiving instruction, Tiburtius was baptized by Bishop Urban. Then the brothers distributed part of their inheritance to the poor, took care of the sick, and buried the Christians who had been tortured to death by their persecutors.

This was reported to Turcius Almachius, the Eparch of the city, who ordered that the brothers be arrested and brought to trial. He ordered the Saints to renounce Christ and offer sacrifice to the pagan “gods,” but the brothers refused. Then they scourged the brothers without mercy. Saint Valerian urged the Christians not to fear torments, but to stand firm for Christ.

In order to prevent the brothers from influencing the people, Almachius ordered that the martyrs be taken outside the city and executed there. The soldiers accompanying the martyrs to execution were commanded by Maximus. He was amazed at the courage of the Saints and asked them why they did not fear death. The holy brothers said that they were exchanging this temporal life for everlasting life. Maximus wanted to learn Christian teaching in detail. He took Saints Valerian and Tiburtius to his own house and conversed with them all night. When she heard of this, Saint Cecilia went with a priest to Maximus. Then he and his entire family were baptized.

The next day, when the Martyrs Valerian and Tiburtius were beheaded, Saint Maximus confessed before everyone that he saw their holy souls being taken up to Heaven. Because of this, the holy Martyr Maximus was beaten to death.

The Eparch wanted to confiscate the property of those who had been executed, but when he was told that Saint Cecilia had already given her remaining wealth to the poor and had converted 400 men, he ordered her execution. Cecilia was sentenced to death by suffocation in the baths. Fires were built and fueled to a terrible temperature, yet Cecilia did not even perspire. Seeing that Saint Cecilia was still alive, they decided to behead her. The executioner struck her three times with a sword but could not sever her head, so he left her to bleed for three days, and she survived. As she preached or prayed, crowds gathered around her and collected her blood. Her death was on the third day, and her burial was at the hands of Pope Urban and his deacons.

Saint Cecilia is regarded as the patron Saint of Church music. St. John Chrysostom extols the benefits of sacred music, and shows how strongly the fire of divine love is kindled in the soul by devout psalmody. (On Psalm 41).

The Holy Relics of Saints Valerian and Tiburtius are in the Roman Catholic Basilica of Saints Valerian and Cecilia in Rome.

Officials unearthed her body in 1599 and discovered her to be incorrupt, making her the first incorrupt saint. St. Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music because she heard heavenly music in her heart when she was married.