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| | Lives of the Saints: November: 22. St. Cecilia, Virgin, Martyr |
 | | IN the evening of her wedding-day, with the music of the marriage-hymn ringing in her ears, Cecilia, a rich, beautiful, and noble Roman maiden, renewed the vow by which she had consecrated her virginity to God. |
 | | But "the flames had no power over her body, neither was a hair of her head singed." The lictor sent to dispatch her struck with trembling hand the three blows which the law allowed, and left her still alive. |
 | | For two days and nights Cecilia lay with her head, half severed on the pavement of her bath, fully sensible, and joyfully awaiting her crown; on the third the agony was over, and in 177 the virgin Saint gave back her pure spirit to Christ. |
| www.sacred-texts.com /chr/lots/lots361.htm (206 words) |
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