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| Santa Cecilia Martire, ora pro nobis |
November 22nd is the Feast of Santa Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr. Patroness of music and musicians, Saint Cecilia’s Day marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Southern Italy. Traditionally celebrated with music and concerts, it is also customary to enjoy regional delicacies, such as le pettole di Santa Cecilia, a fried dough specialty sometimes sprinkled with sugar or stuffed with anchovies, capers and codfish. In celebration, I'm posting A Prayer to Saint Cecilia. The accompanying photo of The Ecstasy of St. Cecilia is by Bernardo Cavallino (ca.1616-1656), courtesy of the Museo di Capodimonte in Napoli. Evviva Santa Cecilia!
A Prayer to Saint Cecilia
O glorious saint, who chose to die instead of denying your King, we pray you please to help us as His fair praise we sing. We lift our hearts in joyous song to honor Him this way. And while we sing, remembering, to sing is to doubly pray. At once in our hearts and in our tongues we offer double prayer sent heavenward on winged notes to praise God dwelling there. While in our hearts and tongues we try with song to praise God twice, we ask dear saint, to help us be united close to Christ! Amen.