Sainte-Cécile
Cité épiscopale d’Albi
It is only since the 13th Century that the patron saint of music watches over Albi. In fact, until a local noble made his voyage to Rome and returned loaded with holy relics, the Cathedral was known as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
Martyred in Rome in the year 232, the story of Saint Cecilia, Sainte-Cécile in French, is the stuff of legend. During the reign of Pope Urbain, Saint Cecilia was married against her will to Valerian, a Roman noble, who she persuaded to convert to Christianity on their wedding night. However, in this period, professing the Christian faith was punishable by death and Cecilia, Valerian and his brother were all condemned to be decapitated. Struck by three blows of the executioner’s axe, Cecilia was left for dead.
She suffered three days of agony during which she continuously sang hymns of praise to God.
It is for this that musicians took her as their patron saint.
