In the final battle of a week filled with saintly thrills and spills, Balthazar squares off against Cecilia. And you, yes YOU, get to decide whether to vote against Christmas pageants or against church choirs. So good luck with that. Actually, both saints have inspired many people over the generations -- from those who love frankincense, to those who are allergic to it; from those with melodic voices to the tone deaf.
Yesterday's hotly contested battle between Egeria and Hildegard of Bingen ended with the bracket-busting Egeria edging out Hildegard by the slimmest of margins, 51% to 49%. With almost 6,800 votes cast, Egeria prevailed by less than 140. See, your (single) vote counts!
While we've had our share of nail biters over the years, this ranks up there and was the first truly close battle of Lent Madness 2015. And the comments. The comments! We set a record for most comments ever with nearly 370. Kudos to the commenters!
Balthazar
The story of the Three Wise Men is a beloved part of Christmas crèches and pageants, albeit exercising a bit of editorial license. In Matthew’s Gospel, the text only says that sages and magi traveled from the East to find the infant King — not how many there were or what their names were.
Nonetheless, over time, tradition has narrowed the number of the Eastern travelers down to three and assigned them names — one of which is Balthazar. (In many medieval depictions of the Wise Men, Balthazar is depicted as a young African man). Aside from his presence in Matthew’s story, we don’t know much about Balthazar. He’s a mysterious figure, along with Melchior and Caspar, the other two kings named by tradition. The story goes that they brought frankincense, myrrh, and gold to the baby, carried all the way from the distant lands of Africa, Asia, and Europe.The kings were warned in a dream not to return to the genocidal King Herod, so they headed for home by a different path.
At some point, Balthazar and the other kings were martyred and buried, but we aren’t quite sure where. The explorer Marco Polo thought they were near Tehran, while Saint Helena thought she had found them in Palestine, along with the true cross, and brought everything with her to be enshrined at the Hagia Sophia. When Constantinople fell, the kings were moved to Milan, then Germany. You can now see what are believed to be Balthazar’s bones at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany.
But here is where the story gets really good.
It’s easy to dismiss Balthazar’s story as medieval hagiographic fan fiction. Yet alongside these Western Christian stories ran traditions from within Ethiopia and within Central and Southeast Asia, which traced their Christianity back to the return from Bethlehem of theWise Men. In 1243, Sempad, the elder brother of the Armenian king wrote a letter to his sister, Queen Stephanie of Cyprus, saying “Tanchat [Tangut, or Western Xia], which is the land from whence came the Three Kings to Bethlem [sic] to worship the Lord Jesus which was born. And know that the power of Christ has been, and is, so great, that the people of that land are Christians; and the whole land of Chata [Khitai, or Kara-Khitai] believes those Three Kings. I have myself been in their churches and have seen pictures of Jesus Christ and the Three Kings, one offering gold, the second frankincense, and the third myrrh. And it is through those Three Kings that they believe in Christ, and that the Chan and his people have now become Christians.”
At the time of Christ, the trade routes of present-day India, China, Egypt, and Ethiopia, all flowed through Jerusalem, so it’s not unreasonable to imagine that a curious young trader heard of an unusual baby, grabbed some friends, and decided to go investigate.
What is clear, however, is that his investigations, and the fruit of his travels, changed the world.
Collect for Balthazaar
Lord God, you set the stars in motion and give us wisdom. Bless us this day with the curiosity of Balthazar, that we would seek your will and know your ways, even as those signs pointing toward them would lead us over and beyond the horizons of familiarity. Make us restless to seek your face and your kingdom, knowing that resting in your knowledge and love is to truly come home. Bless all those who travel, and all those who seek the truth as part of their journey. Amen.
Cecilia
Cecilia is the patron saint of singers, musicians, and poets. She was martyred in Rome in the third century. Finding historically factual information regarding her life is a real heartbreaker and can shake the confidence of even the most devoted researcher.
Nevertheless, it is believed that Cecilia was born into nobility and privilege. She was a woman of strong faith and was credited with converting four hundred people. She was married to a pagan named Valerian. With Cecilia’s faith as a living example, Valerian and his brother Tiburtius, along with Maximus, a Roman soldier, were converted. After their baptism, the two brothers devoted themselves to burying the martyrs who were being slain daily. In about 230 CE, the brothers were arrested for practicing their faith. They were executed—and while she was burying her husband and brother-in-law, Cecilia was arrested.
There were several unsuccessful efforts to slay Cecilia, including stabbing, suffocation, and attempts at beheading, but she clung to life. After three days, she died as a result of the injuries.
Many reports tell of Cecilia’s courage and unfailing faith, revealing that she sang praises to God throughout her torment and slow death, hence her musical connection.
Cecilia is among the most famous and honored of the Roman martyrs. Since at least the fifth century, a church named in her honor has been located on the site of ruins believed to have been her home.
Cecilia is widely depicted in art, from paintings and sculptures to stained glass and mosaics and of course, music. Musical works by the greats — Handel, Purcell, Gounod, and Britten, and even contemporary artists such as Paul Simon, The Andrews Sisters, and Blue Oyster Cult, draw on Cecilia’s life and legacy as part of their own expressions. John Dryden, Alexander Pope, and W. H. Auden are among the great poets whose works honor Cecilia. Musical societies and choirs are also frequently named in her honor, including the National Academy of Saint Cecilia. In some places, concerts are presented on her feast day, which is November 22.
Collect for Cecilia
Most gracious God, whose blessed martyr Cecilia sang in her heart to strengthen her witness to you: We give you thanks for the makers of music whom you have gifted with Pentecostal fire; and we pray that we may join with them in creation’s song of praise until at the last, with Cecilia and all your saints, we come to share in the song of those redeemed by our Savior Jesus Christ; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
-- Neva Rae Fox
Vote!
[poll id="120"]
225 comments on “Balthazar vs. Cecilia”
As a singer (and a member of at least 10 choirs past and present) this was a no-brainer for me. How can I go against my patron saint? Cecilia, all the way.
Finally, in mid-afternoon on the west coast Bay Area I could get on the website, read about Cecile and Balthazer, and vote. What happened? I called a friend on the east coast to contact y'all for help out here. Do you realize how frantic we get when our daily Lenten Madness is error 404? I loved the questing after the birth of Jesus.
The voting isn't working
here is a life size statue of St. Cecelia in the McKittrick Room at Grace Church Brooklyn where the choir rehearses and where we keep our music and vestments! There are times when I'm struggling with a piece and I look at her and take heart.
I suspect I am a little biased in choosing Cecilia. Her feast day is my birthday, and I love to sing. Nonetheless, I dread the day when I have to choose between her and Francis of Assisi, two of my all time favorites.
Where is Maple Anglican on all these no contest matchups - bugs in the Clairvoyatron or is the rumor I heard about difficult contract negotiations between Lent Madness and the hallowed broadcast crew true?
Maple posted he was too busy this season, unfortunately for us all.
I love the story of the Magi. But the info on Balthazar made me wonder if he existed as a real person, separate from myth. A friend of mine had a dear dog named after him. But had to go with the musician.
I was moved by the account of Cecilia's powerful witness for Christ, converting 400 people including her husband and brother-in-law. She got my vote. This was a tough call though, for several reasons. I feel a special connection to the city of Cologne and its cathedral, which houses the relics of the three kings. The collect for Balthazar was also particularly moving. "Bless all those who travel, and all those who seek the truth as part of their journey." As a traveller myself, and a seeker of truth, I can certainly identify. Amen and Amen!
Two possibly (one most certainly!) legendary saints. Hmm. Well, in high school I belonged to a St. Cecilia Society, and a statue of her (a small version of one that graced our high school music department) is a cherished gift from an old friend. So Cecilia for me today. (I'm still sad about Hildegard, though.)
For I am a stranger before thee and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. Had to go with Balthazar, who was drawn to Our Savior from the ends of the earth before He was lifted up.
I am a church musician. Today was a no-brainer (which is fortunate, since the website was down, and I couldn't read the bios this morning to influence my decision.)
I simply had to vote for Cecilia, as my middle name is a derivative of hers, and I am a musician. ( And I, too, am bummed about Hildegard....)
Have to go with Balthazar, pageants over choirs!
St Cecilia, of course, especially after having sung this magnificent anthem by Herbert Howells:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzXkhUBalsc
I live Balthazar, being a great fan of the Christmas operetta "Amahl and the Night Visitors" , but I am a musician, have sung in church choirs since about age 8, and have many friends who are church musicians so I had to vote for Cecilia, who I believe really existed.
I am very puzzled by those of us who only want to vote for "real" (presumably historically verifiable--that is, by some extra-canonical source?). I think all these saints--"real" or no--speak to a larger Reality that cannot be quantified, carbon-dated or captured in a photograph. How many of our great heroes or heroines of scripture can be found in the pages of "real" history? The fact that Cecilia or Balthazar are saints is because the Truth of their witness to Christ has moved and changed many, many people, all of whom were a lot less hung up on proof of their realness.
We're believers, right? We believe in the real presence in our lives of an undocumented Creator, an intangible Spirit, and we follow a human-God who walked on water, cast out demons and came back from the dead.
I vote for music today. St. Cecilia!
I love your comment.
I'm glad!
I voted for Balthazar because when I was 10 I got to be Balthazar in the Christmas Pageant and sing his verse in We Three Kings. My first solo. But...I feel bad for letting down St. Cecilia, who's intercession probably made my Balthazar gig a success. 🙂
In 1953, at the church of my youth (St Marks Episcopal, Beaumont, Texas), as a teenager, I attended the Christmas Pageant--which in our parish was an adult presentation--to be taken completely by surprise when the Three Kings each appeared in turn, walking slowly down the aisle singing his verse 'a cappella' and dressed in magnificent raiment (being an Episcopal parish, all of the town's shakers and movers were members, including many from the city's opera, symphony and theatre groups--costumes were not a problem...nor was talent). Each 'King' was known by the parish to have been serving in the Korean War, but unbeknownst to any of us, had just returned. As one who has been tone deaf since birth (and remains so), I was stunned by these baritones and pleased to know of their safe return. These Kings--and the troop trains passing to war through Beaumont early in the 50's--are my most vivid memories of the Korean Conflict. Later, in my own time, I, too, served two tours in Viet Nam, but was not welcomed home and certainly not invited to sing 'a cappella' (or otherwise). My parish had changed, by then, as had my residence. I will never forget Balthazar, never. Therefore, he has my vote. (Of course, one could also vote for St Cecilia on the basis of the beauty of choral music in our liturgy and Christmastide. Still, I must stand with Balthazar.)
Kelly Pulsifer, you grew up in Beaumont?? You might know some of my relatives, although they were no doubt attending the Methodist church . . . my last name was Shepherd (as in the laundry).
As a child I watched Menotti's Amahl and the Night Visitors on TV every year and loved the character of Balthazar ("This is my box") partly because he was funny and hard of hearing, like my mother. But it was the beautiful duet "Have you seen a child the color of wheat, the color of dawn…" between the kings and Amahl's mother that moved me deeply. For every mother, her child is sacred in a way. And then there's the saintly donkey in Bresson's Au Hasard, Balthasar...
Being a church musician, there is nothing I can do but vote for St Cecilia. It looks like I am in good company.
God's undying love for us swirls in the ups and downs, rests and stops of music! Cecelia gets my vote. Are you sure the count is absolutely right on yesterday's saints?
Another hard choice. My church organist mother and sister would probably go with Cecilia, but I was always fascinated with the stars and a special baby born under a special star. As far as I'm concerned, Balthazar is a patron saint for wanderers and seekers. Combine that with the beauty and mystery of the stars--I vote for Balthazar.
Loving choir, had to go with Cecilia- but also have to admit, the comment about "attempts at beheading..." brought to my mind "Nearly Headless Nick" from the Harry Potter stories!
What is going on with the website?- never could get the email to open, but was finally able to get somewhere and find the post on it-
I'm a singer, and over my computer hangs a card featuring a stained-glass-style print of St Cecilia that my choir director gave to each of us some years ago. But I've never been that enthusiastic about Cecilia as the patron saint of musicians and singers. Why not Gabriel, who plays the trumpet? Miriam, who led the women in songs of jubilation? David, who wrote the psalms? Gregory, for whom Gregorian chant is named? Or Hildegard, of course?
The best Epiphany sermon I ever heard was at a Catholic church in Wilmington, Delaware. The priest talked about the magi not just as wise men but as seekers of knowledge, of truth; and that these particular wise men had been willing to upend their lives and undertake a significant, lengthy, difficult journey in their search for truth. He then pointed out that, as we Catholics honor the magi for this, we should also respect people whose passion for truth is the reason that they are atheists.
So, in honor of my atheist friends to whom truth is more important than societal approval or existential comfort, I vote for Balthazar: who, whether or not he existed as a distinct historical individual, certainly exists as a potent figure in the Christian narrative imagination
Nicely, nicely said!
Sister Mary,
I do indeed remember Shepherd's Laundry. I likely knew the family, or of them, but do not recall them now. Small world, this Lenten Madness.
In Bethlehem, in the church of the Nativity, one of the artists back in the day put a mural of the Three Kings in Persian dress on a wall near the entry. When the Persians came into the Holy Land and plundered a lot of sacred relics, they walked into the Church of the Nativity and looked up at the painting of the wise men. Basically, they saluted, and turned and went away, leaving the church intact, out of respect for those men from their own land.
We traveled to Koln (Cologne) Germany several years ago. The Cathedral there was built to house the silver and jewel-encrusted tombs of the Magi. Balthazar's resting place is truly magnificent. Which tomb is his is unknown, of course.
I wish the learnt-day looters of the museums in Iraq could show the same courtesy. Sad thing that's happening there now.
ISIS bulldozed and looted the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud, Iraq.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/isis-loots-and-bulldozes-ancient-city-of-nimrud-as-tikrit-offensive-rages-1.2984029
http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/05/world/iraq-isis-destroys-ancient-city-nimrud/index.html
[Aaaah! That's supposed to say "modern-day"!]
Yes, it's very distressing. Makes me glad that so many Western museums absconded with Eastern treasures. At least they're safe and intact.
Cecilia had me at 'patron saint of singers and musicians.' My mom (music teacher) instilled a love of music I cherish to this day. At 82 she is still playing the organ every Sunday at church.
This is a tough choice, but I am going to go with Balthazar because:
a) My French-Canadian ancestry has always honored the creche
and
b) When I first started going to an Episcopal church 25 years ago, my children and I were in a production of Amahl and the Night Visitors
and
c) My husband of 14+ years was also in that production
Balthazar it is!
This was really tough, but I had to go with Balthazar. I can't sing, but I love music, but I also love the idea of following a star. How terribly brave to just follow a star in the sky to wherever it leads you. Kind of like following your dream.
"Jesus Loves Me" Was my first public performance piece at the age of three in a very staid Presbyterian Church. I have been singing ever since. I had to vote for Cecilia.
Yet another hard choice to make. I have to travel tomorrow so I was leaning toward Balthazar, and as a sojourner, absolutely love the collect for Balthazar. So it was settled, until I read about Cecilia. And I am traveling to lead music for worship. How can you do this to us? Since I sing more than I travel, Cecilia gets my vote this evening. PS so glad you back, I was "so lost without you" this morning.