Feast Day Festivities

I am a huge fan of my feast day, or rather, St. Cecilia's (my patroness) feast day!  Since she is the patroness of music, her feast, November 22, is widely celebrated throughout the Church.  Although, I was not named after St. Cecilia, I have always felt a special kinship with her.  My name (Cecily) is a clear derivative from her own name.  She is often depicted with a harp, and I know that she guided me through my many years of harp studies.  Those studies are currently on hiatus, but I trust she will lead me back to them eventually. (She always seems to.) Furthermore, she is a early Church martyr, which deems her even more beautiful in my eyes.

I did not grow up necessarily celebrating my feast day in any particular way, but I constantly reminded my family of this day. And every so often it falls on Thanksgiving, thus making it feast day on my feast day!  

This year I made sure to celebrate -- because who doesn't love a 2nd birthday! I baked myself a pumpkin spice cake, paged through my St. Cecilia journal (Carter made this for me a few years ago -- it is complete with prayers, poems, and images of  my patron), and reminisced about visiting St. Cecilia's in Rome.  And the next day, Carter and I went on a classy date to an organ concert at St. Cecilia's Cathedral in Omaha.  It was heavenly.

My tasty but not-so-beautifully-frosted cake

At St. Cecilia's in Rome

The organist explained that Cecilia was never actually a musician, but used to be known as the patron saint of harmony.  Throughout the centuries, she has taken on the role of being the patron of music and the persona of a musician. Carter and I had a great conversation about the connection between music and living in harmony with God after the concert, and he said, "Music lets sinners experience God the way that the saints experience God".  I thought it was a rather beautiful sentiment. 

I am already looking forward to my feast day next year!

Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee!

Great Patroness of Us and Harmony!

Who, whilst among the Choir above

Thou dost thy former Skill improve,

With Rapture of Delight dost see

Thy Favourite Art

Make up a Part

Of infinite Felicity.

Hail! Bright Cecilia, Hail to thee!

Great Patroness of Us and Harmony!

{A Poem by Nicholas Brady}

Sancta Caecilia, ora pro nobis!