Homage to St. Cecilia

Belated homage. November 22 is the feast day of St. Cecilia, and it seemed to us that insufficient attention was paid. We're sure that Rupert Lang, Patrick Wedd and other organists will have had this second century singer-saint in mind, for it was she who invented the organ.

Cecilia is the patron saint of music--it is said an angel fell in love with her musicianly talent. She is also the patron saint of the blind, for she herself was blind. Her husband was Valerian, who honored Cecilia's vow of chastity. Both were given the crown of martyrdom, brought from Paradise by the angel.

In London, on St. Cecilia's Day, the Worshipful Company of Musicians processes to St. Paul's Cathedral for divine services. Would that we could see such processions everywhere, for, as Dryden versified:

"At length divine Cecilia came 

 Inventress of the vocal frame."