St Cecilia's

Today I went to the Basilica of Saint Cecilia. Saint Cecilia was a Roman Noblewoman who lived in the 3rd Century. She became a Christian and took a vow of Virginity, but her parents married her off anyway. She married Valerian of Trastevere, who she converted to Christianity on her wedding night. They started giving alms to the poor and Cecilia was martryed in a persecution of Christian's, she refused to worship the Roman gods. She had her throat cut, only not very well as she lived on for a further three days. She is the patron saint of music. Cecilia was buried in the catacombs of San Callisto, but in 1599 she was exhumed and her body found to be incorrupt and the statue in the picture was made. In it you can see Cecilia making what was a well known Christian gesture. She holds up three fingers of one hand, depicting the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and in the other hand holds up one finger, depicting one God, though three aspects. Her remains were moved to their present location. The church having been built over the remains of her own house, and is now a Benedictine convent.