Cecilia, Valerian and Tiburtius

Holy Virgin Martyr Cecilia of Rome with her husband Valerian, his brother Tiburtius and the martyr Maximus.

Saint Cecilia was a Roman noblewoman of the third century who had dedicated herself to Christ. Married against her will to the pagan Valerian, she persuaded him to respect her vow, and he and his brother Tiburtius were baptized and became zealous Christians.

The two brothers were beheaded, and Cecilia, after surviving an attempt to suffocate her in her bath, was struck with the sword and died confessing Christ. She is honoured in the West as patroness of music.

Feast day

On the New Calendar, Cecilia, Valerian and Tiburtius is commemorated on November 22. Churches on the Old (Julian) Calendar keep the feast on December 5 of the civil calendar.

Who celebrates a name day

People with these names keep their name day on this feast:

Cecilia, Cecile, Cecily, Cecelia, Kikilia, Cecillia

Also commemorated on November 22

• Philemon the Apostle

  Apostle, Φιλήμων

  Holy Apostle Philemon.

  Name days: Filemon, Philemon

• Iakovos of Evia

  Venerable, Ιάκωβος Τσαλίκης

  Venerable Iakovos Tsalikis, abbot of the monastery of Saint David in Euboea, glorified in 2017.

• Kallistos II of Constantinople

  Hierarch, Κάλλιστος ο Β' Ξανθόπουλος

  Saint Kallistos II Xanthopoulos, Patriarch of Constantinople and hesychast writer.

• Procopius the Reader

  Martyr, Προκόπιος ο Παλαιστίνιος

  Holy Martyr Procopius the Reader of Caesarea in Palestine.

• Menignus the Fuller

  Martyr, Μένιγνος ο Κναφεύς

  Holy Martyr Menignus the Fuller of Parium.

• Clement of Ochrid

  Hierarch, Κλήμης Αχρίδος

  Saint Clement of Ochrid, Equal to the Apostles, disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodios and enlightener of the Slavs.