Early Christian martyr Saint Cecilia of Rome and her veneration in medieval England

Abstract

The article deals with the origin and history of the veneration of the holy virgin martyr Cecilia in medieval England. The most ancient traces of her burial in Rome, her glorification in Italy and on the Continent, evidence of her in Latin hagiography, in Anglo-­Saxon church calendars and martyrologies are revealed. The Latin works of Anglo-­Saxon church writers dedicated to her — ​Aldhelm and Bede the Venerable (7th‑8th c.), her Old English Life compiled by Ælfric the Grammarian (late 10th c.) are analyzed, and the works praising her from the 12th up to the 14th c. are mentioned. The nature of her Christian feat as a virgin spouse is revealed, as well as the historical context in which her feat became relevant for the Anglo-­Saxons; the significance of virginity as the greatest Christian virtue is noted; the special role of St. Cecilia in the religious life of medieval England is emphasized. Examples of her veneration in the Russian Orthodox Church are given. This article is the first study in Russian scholarship devoted to the veneration of St. Cecilia in medieval England. Also, for the first time, a translation from Old English into Russian of her life, compiled by Ælfric the Grammarian, has been completed and published.