Monday, November 22, 2010

Song Lyric of the Day (John Dryden, on St. Cecilia and Music)


“Orpheus could lead the savage race;
And trees uprooted left their place,
Sequacious of the lyre;
But bright Cecilia rais’d the wonder higher:
When to her organ vocal breath was given,
An angel heard, and straight appear’d
Mistaking Earth for Heaven.”—John Dryden, “A Song for St. Cecilia’s Day” (1687)

For nearly my entire life, I’ve been a member of St. Cecilia’s Church in Englewood, N.J. The Roman martyr from whom our parishtakes its name is the patron saint of music. Her feast day is today.

British poet John Dryden (and, in the image accompanying this post, Italian painter Ortensio Crespi) celebrated the connection between St. Cecilia and the music that forms such an important part of the Mass.

1 comment:

bjn2727 said...

On a visit to Rome with Steph I took a tour of the Catacombs. I was more than surprised to come across the actual tomb of St. Cecilia.