This site is to commemorate Saint Caecilia, also known as Saint Cecilia, who is the patron saint of Music, Composers, Singers, Musicians, Poets, Organ Builders and the Blind. St. Cecilia’s following flourished during the Middle Ages in Europe and has also continued right through to the present day. Songs were sung in her name, poetry was written, paintings with St. Cecilia as the subject were created, and her feast day, on November 22 was happily celebrated. She continued to be a popular topic for the arts well into the 18th century. Hans Memling, in 1470, painted St. Cecilia playing the organ at the mystical marriage of Catherine of Alexandria. In 1584 she was named patroness of the academy of music founded in Rome. Raphael painted her at Bologna, Rubens at Berlin and Domenichino in Paris. Geoffrey Chaucer commemorates her in his Second Nun’s Tale (a poem wholly devoted to her) from “The Canterbury Tales”, (Group G of the set of The Canterbury Tales, written between 1385 and 1390) and Handel set John Dryden’s “Ode to Saint Cecilia” to music in 1736.
A link to “The Golden Legend”, a summary of St. Cecilia’s life can be accessed by clicking here.
Links to both musical and poetic tributes to Saint Caecilia can be accessed from either the music or the verse link, accessible under the Music and Verse link, by clicking that link on this page.
For Catholics around the world, many pray to Saint Caecilia (or Saint Cecilia, depending on the preferred spelling) and a link to examples of these prayers can be accessed by clicking here.
St. Cecilia societies still flourish around the world, often sponsoring musical events and contests. There is a beautiful St. Cecilia Cathedral in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, the diocese of which also claims her as their patron saint.
Note that the navigation at the right (Return to Site Previously Viewed) is for use ONLY when you have entered this site from Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited and its related sites or the site for the Godfrey family and it will close this window and take you back to the page on Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited and its related sites or the Godfrey family site which you were most recently browsing. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE OTHER WINDOWS OR TABS OPEN FROM THE SITES JUST MENTIONED, IT WILL NOT FUNCTION. If you wish to go to the Caecilian Enterprises site and you have not come directly from it and its related sites, then you should use the Caecilian image navigation at the right.
Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited, the company which has produced this informational site, is named after St. Caecilia and her Saints Day falls on November 22 every year. She is the patron saint of music and musicians (as well as, to a much lesser extent, being recognised as the patron saint of the blind).
Special Note: Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited is not a religiously oriented company. The use of St Caecilia is purely for the musical and harmony associations as outlined below and the directors and employees are not specifically religiously oriented, each following his or her own beliefs.
The above name was chosen, principally as a result of the inclusion of Caecilian Music Services, our music typesetting and recording division. Further is the concept of the various divisions of the company, including our other main divisions, Caecilian Bookkeeping Services and Caecilian Web and Design Services, working in harmony (musical blending in a figurative way) with each other. It should be noted in this web site that we have mostly used the original Latin spelling of the name, that is to say Caecilia, as opposed to the more modern Cecilia, which is very much in use for this particular saint.
Below are three links, firstly one which leads to a short history/biography of St Caecilia, herself, and the second is to provide details of how St Caecilia has inspired both music and verse, particulary in recent centuries. The third (in the middle) is so you are able to contact us, if you have any comments or suggestions. We hope you might find this information interesting and it is provided for those who are interested in delving further into this both historical and current information (current because St Caecilia is still being celebrated in our time, which one of the images in the music and verse section demonstrates).
Note that the navigation at the right (Return to Site Previously Viewed) is for use ONLY when you have entered this site from Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited and its related sites or the site for the Godfrey family and it will close this window and take you back to the page on Caecilian Enterprises Pty Limited and its related sites or the Godfrey family site which you were most recently browsing. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE OTHER WINDOWS OR TABS OPEN FROM THE SITES JUST MENTIONED, IT WILL NOT FUNCTION. If you wish to go to the Caecilian Enterprises site and you have not come directly from it and its related sites, then you should use the Caecilian image navigation at the right.
