A Letter on the Feast of St. Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

Dear Friends in Christ,

Each year, on November 22nd, as we honor Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr, we remember one of the most beloved figures in the history of the Church. Her name has become forever linked with the beauty of sacred music and with the song of the soul that gives glory to God.

Cecilia, born in the third century into a noble Roman lineage, had consecrated her heart to Christ from an early age.

Tradition tells us that while musicians played at her wedding feast, she sang in her heart to the Lord. That quiet song of faith, offered in the midst of the world,

reveals the deepest meaning of sacred music: it is not simply the art of sound, but the language of a heart that prays.

Her fidelity to Christ led her to the supreme act of love. When commanded to renounce her faith, she refused, and in the face of persecution, she bore witness to the truth of the Gospel. Her martyrdom became her final hymn of praise.

In Rome, the Basilica of Saint Cecilia in Trastevere stands over the place of her home and her tomb. Beneath its altar lies the moving sculpture by Stefano Maderno (†1636), which shows the saint lying in peaceful repose. Her body bears the marks of her suffering, yet her face speaks of serenity and of the victory of faith. Her hand is raised, her fingers silently proclaiming her belief in the Holy Trinity. Even in death, she teaches us that true beauty flows from love and from the offering of one’s life to God.

For the Canons Regular of St. John Cantius, the mission of restoring the sacred finds in St. Cecilia a powerful patroness and guide. The mission of sacred music is not performance, but prayer. Through the chant, the organ, and the great works of sacred art, we seek to raise minds and hearts to the divine. In this way, we continue what Saint Cecilia began: to make our whole life a song of praise to the Lord.

May Saint Cecilia intercede for all who serve in the ministry of sacred music, and for all who come to worship through beauty. May she help us to live with the same love that filled her heart, so that every note, every word, and every silence in our lives may glorify God.

Yours in Christ, 

Fr. Joshua Caswell, SJC 

Superior General Canons Regular of St. John Cantius

President of A.M.D.G.