#literally lestat

Tagged by: @thelostcrimejournals, @violentvioletviolinsblog​ <3 

saint cecilia

saint cecilia is not particularly well known, i don't think, but she is the chosen patron saint of my mother, and so i am obligated to be a little insane about her. she is the patron saint of music, patron saint of poets. cecilia's story is one of martyrdom for purity: she takes a vow of virginity, and is forced to marry regardless. she refuses to consummate the marriage, but this is not where she is killed: she tells her husband that there is an angel watching over her, and when he demands to see it, she sends him to be baptized. when he returns, he sees the angel crowning her with flowers. cecilia and her husband were both eventually killed by the leadership of their city for refusing to practice pagan sacrifices to the roman gods, but the angel of the lord did not abandon cecilia. some stories say they attempted to suffocate her with steam, and were unsuccessful, but all agree that the final attempt at execution was decapitation. a soldier struck her three times in the neck, but wasn't able to decapitate her, so he left her to bleed. she survived for three days before dying of her injuries. cecilia is a figure i often associate with ophelia, in my thoughts on beautiful, sacrificial girls. cecilia sang to god for protection on the day of her wedding. she was protected even from a sword. she is a saint that invokes beauty and light (and my mother. for all the complicated feelings that might produce).