Chapter 18. Testimonies of the Liturgies of the West in favor of the Acts of St

It is therefore plain that the Canon of St. Gelasius offers no unfavorable allusion to the Acts of St. Cecilia ; it now remains for us to prove that far from considering these Acts as of trifling or doubtful authority, the Eoman and Western Churches, from the V. Century, esteemed them so highly, that they borrowed from them the substance of the prayers and canticles addressed to God on the solemnity of St. Cecilia's feast. "We will commence with the Eoman Church. Her most ancient Sacramentary, known under the name of Leonian, because the greater part of its formulas are attributed to Pope Saint Leo the Great, thus mentions Cecilia, in one of its five Prefaces, all dedicated to our holy Martyr. " Cecilia, destined by the will of her parents to become the spouse of a mortal, scorned a union which was to last but a short time, and jealous of the crown of chastity, sought an immortal spouse ; preferring the honors of everlasting life to the joys of maternity. Her glory is enhanced by her having prevailed upon Valerian to whom she was united in marriage, to join her in the practice of perpetual chastity, and to share with her the crown of martyrdom."* Later in the V. century, the Eoman Church thus speaks : " The inconstancy of youth could not arrest Cecilia in the path of virtue; the charms of the senses could not make her look back ; nor could the fragility of her sex intimidate her. Although a young woman, exposed to all the torments of the executioners, the chaste Virgin Martyr gained a glorious victory, and to crown her triumph, bore with her to the kingdom of heaven, the man who had been given her as a spouse."f In the numer-

• Dum humanis devota nuptiis, thalamos temporales contemneret, sponsum sibi, qui perpetuus esset, praesumpto pr»mio castitatis adhibuit, et aeternitatem vitce maluit, quam ut mundo procrearet originem. In cujus gloriam etiam illud accessit, ut Valerianum, cui fuerat matrimonii jure copulanda, in perpetuum sibi socians Martyr casta consortium, secum duceret ad coronam. Muratori. Liturgia Romana vetus, tome i. Sacrament. Leonianum, page 456.

f Despecto mundi conjugio, ad consortia superna contondens, ous and elegant compositions stamped by the genius of Leo, allusions to the Acts are evident ; we will not stop to point them out. The Gelasian Sacramentary, which also belongs to the V. century, contains a preface of the same style and full of the same allusions,"* and in its collect commemorates the crowns brought by the angel to Valerian and Cecilia.f At the end of the VI. century, St. Gregory, in his Sacramentary, diminished the number of the prefaces of the saints which formed the riches of the Missals of St. Leo and St. Gelasius. Those of St. Cecilia were sacrificed with the others, but in return the most ancient manuscripts of St. Gregory's Eesponsorial prove, that if the Eoman Church in the VI. and VII. centuries, abated nothing of her severity in favor of St. Cecilia, respecting the conciseness of the prayers to be thenceforth used at the Holy sacrifice ; she superabundantly compensated for this severity in the chants which accompany the Canonical Hours.J All the anthems and responses of nee setate nutabili prsepedita est, nee revocata carnis illecebra, nee sexus fragilitate deterrita, sed inter puellares annos, inter saeculi blandimenta, inter snpplicia persequentum, multiplicem victoriam Virgo casta et Martyr explevit, et ad potiorem triumphum secnm ad regna ccelestia, cni fuerat nupta, perduxit. Mura. tori. Liturgia Romana vetus, tome i. Sacrament. Leonianum, p. 456.

• Gerbert. Liber Sacramentoruin. Liturgia Alemannica, tome ii. page 197.

f Deus, cnibeata Caecilia ita castitatis devotione complaenit, ut conjugem suum Valerianum, affinemque ejus Tiburtium tibi fe. cerit consecrari, cum et Angelo deferente micantium odoriferas florum coronas, palmam martyrii percepemnt : tribue, qnaesumus, ut ea intercedente pro nobis, beneficia tui muneris percipere mereamur. Gerbert Ibid, page 196.

X See the manuscript of St. Gregory's Responsorial, published by Dionysius of St. Martha, and by Blessed Joseph Marie Tommasi.

the office of the twentysecond of November are taken literally from our Acts, and have remained the same after the lapse of twelve centuries, as they were at the time of St. Gregory.

The Book of the Gospels carried by Cecilia upon her heart,* the ardent prayers she addressed to God at her approaching marriage with Valerian, f her fasts of two and three days,;]: the hair shirt she wore under her garments,§ the musicians' concert, during which she sang hymns to the Almighty, || the confidence she reposed in Valerian, ^[ the words of the latter to the poor Christians in the Appian AVay, his interview with Urban,** the Pontiff's prayer after hearing the miracles wrought by Cecilia, ff Valerian's return to his bride, and the apparition of the Angel, $$ Cecilia's conversation with Tiburtius, which resulted in his conversion to the faith, Cecilia's apostrophe to the martyr band at day-break in

• Virgo gloriosa semper Evangelium Christigerebat inpectore.

f Et non diebus neque noctibus vacabat a colloquiis divinis et oratione.

t Biduanis ac triduanis jejuniis oralis, commendabat Domino quod timebat.

§ Cilicio Coscilia membra domabat, Deum gemitibus exorabat.

|| Cantantibus organis, Csecilia Domino decantabat dicens. Fiat cor meum irnmaculatum, ut non confundar

IT Est secretum, Valeriane. quod tibi volo dicere : Angelum Dei habeo amatorem, qui nimio zelo custodit corpus meum.

** Csecilia me misit ad vos, ut ostendatis mihi sanctum Urbanum, quia ad ipsum habeo secreta quae perferam.

ft Domine Jesu Christe, pastor bone, seminator casti consilii, suscipe seminum fructus, quos in Caecilia seminasti. CsEcilia famula tua, quasi apis tibi argumentosa deservit.

Xt Valerianus in cubiculo Caeciliam cum Angelo orantem invenit.

the house of Maximus* the protestation of Almachius' officers, after the exhortation addressed to them by the virgin, f the victory she herself gained;]: over the Koman prefect's tyranny, § one of the replies of her interrogatory;]] finally, the request she made St. Urban when expiring ;T such is a summary of the Gregorian office of St. Cecilia, and, consequently, such are the facts considered authentic by the Church of Rome since the end of the sixth century. These different incidents represent in an abridged form, the narrative of the Acts ; the same words even are preserved, except where the necessity of adapting them to the harmony of the ecclesiastical chant, required a slight alteration. We are, therefore, perfectly safe in concluding that there is no history considered more venerable by the Church of Rome, than that of St. Cecilia, as it is related in these pages, and set forth in the Liturgy of St. Gregory. Let us now examine the other Western Liturgies.

We shall begin with that of Milan, called Ambrosian, because the greater part of it was compiled by St. Ambrose. The Mass of St. Cecilia, contained in

• Beata Caecilia dixit Tiburtio : Hodie te fateor meum esse cognatum, quia amor Dei te fecit esse contemptorem idoloram. - f Dum aurora fiuem daret, Caecilia dixit : Eia niilites Christi, abjicite opera tenebrarum, et induimini arma lucis.

X Credimus Christum Filium Dei verum Deum esse, qui sibi talem elegit famulam.

§ 0 beata Caecilia qua? duos fratres convertisti, Almachium judicem superasti, Urbanum episcopum in vultu angelico demonstrasti.

|| Nos scientes sanctum nomen ejus, omnino negare non possumus.

^ Triduanas a Domino poposci inducias, ut domum meam Ecclesiam consecrarem.

it, is drawn up with great care, and, judging by its ! style, can scarcely be dated farther back than the fifth century. The following are the principal passages of the Preface: " Christ lavished upon Cecilia the highest honors of heaven. To merit the palm of martyrdom, she withdrew from the world and its nuptial joys. To her is due the honor of the glorious confession of her husband, Valerian, and of his brother, Tiburtius. Thou, 0 Lord, didst crown them with fragrant flowers by the hand of a celestial spirit. The virgin guided these young men to the kingdom of heaven, thus teaching the world the power of chastity. Through Cecilia's merits they became martyrs, and followed, in the company of the angels, the footsteps of the King of Glory ."*

The Offertory is composed of St. Urbairs prayer, in which he thanked our Lord for having so signally blessed St. Cecilia's eloquence.

In the chants of its canonical office, the Ambrosian Eesponsorial, like that of St. Gregory, borrows from the Acts of St. Cecilia.f

If we now examine the Gallican Church, wre shall find that its ancient liturgy, which lasted until the time of Pepin and Charlemagne, bears an analogous testimony to the authenticity of our Acts. The most

• Per Christum Sancta Csecilia, coelesti dono repleta, ut martyrii palmam assunieret, ipsum niundum est cum tbalamis exsecrata. Testis est Valeriani, et Tiburtii provocata confessio : quos angelica maim odoriferis floribus coronasti. Viros Virgo duxit ad gloriam. Mundus agnovit quantum valeat devotio castitatis ; qnso ita promcruit, ut Marty res efficerentur, et iter Regis gloriao cum Angelis graderentur. Missale Ambrosianum. In Natali S. Casciliai. Virg. et Mart.

f Breviarium Ambrosianum. xxii Novcmbris.

complete Gallican Missal now extant, although containing but twenty-six Masses, {Proper) of the Saints, has one in honor of St. Cecilia. This Mass, compiled in a pompous style, is a summary of the Eoman Legends. Its Preface is in the style of the Leonian and Gelasian Sacramentaries, and retraces, in an abridged form, the character of the virgin, her different trials, her martyrdom, her crown, and her entrance into the celestial kingdom with Valerian.* This Missal, according to the opinion of B. Joseph Maria Tommasi, is the same which was compiled about the year 460, by Musaeus, a priest of Marseilles, the principal author of the Gallican Liturgy. Finally the Gothic Church of Spain, whose Liturgy was compiled by St. Leander, Archbishop of Seville, a friend and contemporary of St. Gregory, also offers testimony in favor of the Acts of St. Cecilia. The prayers in its Missal constantly allude to the incidents we have mentioned. The hair shirt with which the Virgin mortified her body;f the crowns of roses and lilies brought from Heaven by an angel ; % Valerian's prayer to the Blessed Spirit to obtain his brother's conversion,! are all mentioned ; and finally

• Mabillon. Liturgia Gallicana, page 226, 217.

f Illadenique procul dubio poterit apud Deum veniam nostris impetrare offensis, quae suam tegens cilicio carnem, multorura animas convertit ad fidem. Missale mixtum Sf?cundum Regulam B. Isidori, dictum Mozarabes. Infesto S. Ccecilice Virginis.

t Splendificos aspectus angelicos destinasti ad terras, per quos illis (Martyribus) concretas liliorum ac rosarum floribus destinasti coronas. Ibid,

§ Qui Tiburtium fratis prece perduxit ad fidem, ipse per vos accendat plurimos ad diligendam aeternse glori» mansionem. Ibid.

an eloquent comparison is made between the fire which burned beneath Cecilia's feet in the caldarium of her palace, and the celestial love which consumed her heart.* The circumstances of our Acts are given more fully in the Missal of the Gothic Church of Spain than in its Breviary, the prayers of which are extremely short ; however, the latter contains a hymn of fourteen verses, in which the life of St. Cecilia is sung with touching veneration.f St. Isidore, the brother of St. Leander, composed the greater number of the hymns of this Liturgy. It is possible that this learned doctor of the Church is not the author of the one just mentioned. However this may be, it cannot be dated later than the seventh century, at which period St. Isidore flourished, because St. Julian of Toledo, the last poet who composed hymns for the Gothic Breviary, lived in 675.

• Gloriosam Virginem Caeciliam die integro et nocte tota thermis inclusam, nee ullo modo loesam fuisse fatemur. Servari quippe meruit in balnei calore, quae gestabat Christum in pectore. Duae quippe ignium divisae faces ardebant ; una in Virginis corde, altera sub Virginis pede ; una combustioni parata, altera refrigerio debita ; una minabatur supplicium, pollicebatur altera regnum ; una morituris corporibus necem, altera vivituro spiritui futuram praeparans libertatem. Missale mixtum secundum Regulam B. Isidori, dictum Mozarabes. Infesto S. Ccecilice Virginis. f We give a copy of this hymn, a true historical monument of the life of St. Cecilia. The imperfection of the verses does not invalidate the testimony thus rendered by the Church of Spain in the seventh century.

Inclytae festum pudoris Germine haec Virgo clara, Virginis Caecilice Sanctitate clarior ;

Gloriosa praecinamus Pectore Christum praestans,

Voce prompti pectoris ; Huncque solum prodioans, Quo soluta lege mortis * Ore sponsum, mente scelus, Tollitur in aethera. Vicit hostem sanguine.

By comparing the monuments most worthy of veneration in the Western Liturgy, we find that

Pectoris sacri recessum Munit Evangelic) ; Squalido corpus beatum Proterit cilicio : Noctis horas et diei Mentis implens cantico.

HaBc enim sortita sponsum Grerminis prsefulgidi ; Angelum Dei fatetnr Se habere vindicem : Hnnc verendo ut pudori Det honorem commonet.

Sponsus hie furore cseco Comminatur virgini ; Sed beata Virgo factis Dicta prorsus comprobans ; Angelum, munusqueexecelo Mox adesse prsestitit.

Adfuit promissus idem Vir coruscis vestibus ; Exhibens serti coronas, Floribus prsefulgidis : In rosis docens cruorem, Castitatem liliis.

Munere hoc provocatus Sponsus ad Christi fidem : Illico fratris salutum Imprsecatus obtinet, Hincque ambo passionis Consecrantur sanguine.

Hunc Inde virgo Christi Consequens Csecilia, Hanc triumphalis honoris Promeretur gloriam : Igneis imis retrusa, Fit caloris nescia.

Plus calens sic igne Christi, Vicit ignem saeculi, Et vibrantis ensis ictum Ter valenter sustulit ; Postque terris membra ponit, Spiritu ccelos petit.

Inde nobis sacra Virgo Mitte coeli munera ; Liliorum, vel rosarum Munus inde proroga : Unde hausisti superna Veritatis gaudia.

Liliis corusca in nobis Castitas prsefulgeat : Punicis rosis voluntas Passionis ferveat ; Criminis mole subacta Innovemur gratia.

Ecce adventum futuri PraBstolamur judicis ; Sustinemus, et beata Ilia lucis gaudia ; Non rei tunc puniamur, Non crememur ignibus.

Martyrum, et sacrosanctis Aggregati coetibus, Evadamus, quod timemus Continentis gloriam, Regis almi ad coronam Evocati dexteram.

Ut tuam Christe videntes Servuli prcesentiam : Grratulemur, gaudeamus, Personemus gloriam; Curiae coelestis arce Confovendi in saecula. Amen.

throughout the two centuries which followed the compilation of St. Cecilia's Acts, the Eoman, the Ambrosian, the Gallican, and the Spanish Gothic churches, all solemnly adopted the facts they contain. We must also acknowledge that even among the most authentic Acts of the Martyrs, scarcely any have been so solemnly approved.