I Love Strong Women

Today I want to tell you what was to me the most inspiring part of our trip to the catacombs…

According to tradition a woman named Cecilia was born in Rome of wealthy parents about the year A.D. 200. She had such zeal for the Christian faith that when her parents coerced her into marriage with Valerian, Cecilia counseled her bridegroom on their wedding night to go to Bishop Urban to be baptized, and then live in chastity. (Chastity even in marriage was considered very virtuous back then.) Valerian converted, along with his brother, Tiburtius. Soon after, both men were condemned to death for their witness. Led to the place of execution, these brothers shared their faith with the captain of the guard, Maximus, who believed and ended up martyred with them.

Cecila buried their bodies together. She was then brought to trial. When the judge asked her the source of her boldness, she said, "From a pure conscience and undoubting faith." After enduring torture, Cecilia was condemned to beheading. The executioner struck her three times on the neck with the sword, but was unable to kill her.

Our guide at the catacombs showed us this sculpture of her and told us that she lay suffering for three days before she finally died. You can't see it well by this photo, but the sculpture depicts her with a gash on the neck. But notice also her hands. Her body was found making the symbol of the Trinity and the dual nature of Christ—three fingers together for the Trinity, two together for the humanity/divinity of Christ. Though she could not speak to testify, she showed by this symbol her in-your-face faith to the end.

“The body they may kill, God’s truth abideth still. His kingdom is forever.”