As a young woman in Rome more than 200 years after Christ's resurrection, Cecilia was promised in marriage to Valerian, a non Christian. On her wedding day, she sang to the Lord, who gave her the strength to remain Christian despite persecution and to convert Valerian and many others. When the Romans found out, they martyred the couple. Cecilia's feast day is November 22 and she is the patron of church music, musicians, and singers.