Our Parish Patron Saint
Feast Day: November 22
1924 marked the start of construction on what we know as the north wing of St. Cecelia's Church. The first Mass celebrated in the still incomplete edifice was at midnight on Christmas Day.
Cost of construction was borne largely by Robert S. Brown, a wealthy Detroit industrialist. His wife became an active worker in the church. In recognition of the Browns' great generosity, the name of the saint chosen to be patron of the new church—St. Cecelia—was the name of his daughter, Cecelia Brown.
The Story of St. Cecilia
Patron Saint of Music & Musicians
The story of Saint Cecilia is not without beauty and merit. There was in the city of Rome a virgin named Cecilia, who was given in marriage to a youth named Valerian. She wore sackcloth next to her skin, and fasted, and invoked the saints and angels, beseeching them to guard her virginity. And she said to her husband, " I will tell you a secret if you will swear not to reveal it to anyone." And when he swore, she added, "There is an angel who watches me, and wards off from me any who would touch me." He said, "Dearest, if this is true, show me the angel." Cecilia replied, "That can only be if you will believe in God, and be baptized."
She sent him to Pope S. Urban (0223-0230), who baptized Valerian; and when he returned, he found Cecilia deep in prayer in her chamber. To Valerian's delight, he saw an angel with flaming wings praying with her. The angel then placed crowns of roses and lilies on both of their heads, and then vanished. Shortly after, Tibertius, the brother of Valerian, came to visit. He wondered where the fragrance of beautiful flowers was coming from at that season of the year. When he heard the story of how they had attained the crowns, he also consented to be baptized.
At that time, the Romans were killing Christians daily. Valerian and his brother devoted themselves to giving proper burials to the martyrs. Eventually, they were arrested, and when they refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods, they were martyred by the sword. Cecilia buried them at her villa.
Meanwhile, Cecilia continued her ministry of preaching the Gospel. Her evangelization efforts brought about 400 people to conversion, whom she sent to the pope for baptisms. Then she was arrested, and condemned to be suffocated in the Roman baths. She was shut in a fire-filled room for a night and a day, but this did not kill her. When the fires were fueled to a roar, Cecilia did not even perspire.
An executioner was ordered to cut off her head. He tried three times without success. He gave up and left her to bleed to death. She survived for three days. Amazed crowds came to visit her. They collected her blood with napkins and sponges. She preached to them and prayed until she died. Pope Urban and his deacons buried her next to her husband.
Sometime between 817 and 821, Pope Paschal I saw in a dream that the body of Saints Cecilia and Valerian were interred in the cemetery of Saint Celestas. He went looking for them, discovered their graves, and took their bodies to the church of Saint Cecilia in Rome. He founded a monastery in their honor. In 1599, Cecilia's tomb was opened and her body was found to be incorrupt.
Saint Cecilia is regarded as the patroness of music (because of the story that she heard music in her heart when she was married), and is represented in art with an organ or organ-pipes in her arms.