Rome Photos April 2011 Page 31

Italy Page 31
Saint Cecilia's Basilica

Stephen Maderno's beautiful sculpture of Saint Cecilia in the altar.
Maderno was at the scene when her body was exumed in 1595 and he made several sketches of her and then fashioned the statue accordingly.
Miraculously, her body was fully intact after more than 1300 years. She is one of the incorruptibles.
Cecilia is one of the earliest female martyrs of the Church, and is one of seven women martyrs mentioned during special High Masses.
Cecilia spread the Word of Jesus, and the Trinity, and she paid the ultimate price for it. She deserves a basilica like this one.

The apse above the choir is decorated with a fine 9th-century mosaic on the theme of the Second Coming.
It consists of seven standing figures - Christ in the center flanked by three saints on each side,
against a background of a meadow with flowers, palm trees and sunset-lit clouds.

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