Reformed Churchmen

We are Confessional Calvinists and a Prayer Book Church-people. In 2012, we remembered the 350th anniversary of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer; also, we remembered the 450th anniversary of John Jewel's sober, scholarly, and Reformed "An Apology of the Church of England." In 2013, we remembered the publication of the "Heidelberg Catechism" and the influence of Reformed theologians in England, including Heinrich Bullinger's Decades. For 2014: Tyndale's NT translation. For 2015, John Roger, Rowland Taylor and Bishop John Hooper's martyrdom, burned at the stakes. Books of the month. December 2014: Alan Jacob's "Book of Common Prayer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Common-Prayer-Biography-Religious/dp/0691154813/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417814005&sr=8-1&keywords=jacobs+book+of+common+prayer. January 2015: A.F. Pollard's "Thomas Cranmer and the English Reformation: 1489-1556" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-English-Reformation-1489-1556/dp/1592448658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420055574&sr=8-1&keywords=A.F.+Pollard+Cranmer. February 2015: Jaspar Ridley's "Thomas Cranmer" at: http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Cranmer-Jasper-Ridley/dp/0198212879/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422892154&sr=8-1&keywords=jasper+ridley+cranmer&pebp=1422892151110&peasin=198212879

Saturday, November 22, 2014

22 November. 1662 Book of Common Prayer: Cecilia, Martyr


22 November.  1662 Book of Common Prayer:  Cecilia, Martyr


Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr. -- Of this famous Saint, celebrated in all the ancient Western martyrologies, little definite is known, the accounts being contradictory and legendary in character. She appears to have been a Roman lady, converter of her husband Valerian, who suffered martyrdom with her under M. Aurelius (in the 2nd century), or in some later persecution. According to legend, she enjoyed angelic converse and music. Pope Pascal I. (821) founding a church, to which her relics were translated, ordained and endowed a service of perpetual song of praise. Hence, probably, she became the patron Saint of sacred music, believed to have been the inventress of the organ, and able by her music to "draw an angel down." -- November 22nd.

No comments: