Every year all over the world 22^nd November is remembered as the Feast of St Cecelia – The Patron saint of Music. For all lovers of Music, the feast of St. Cecelia, Patroness Saint of all Musicians the world over. In Mumbai we have been celebrating this special day since 9 years.

Like always a dedicated music group organized a mass in honour of the saint to celebrate the day bringing together musicians from over the city at one place. What began as a small gathering has grown manifold, so much so that next year plans are afoot to hold the mass in an open air venue.

This year the Musician’s mass (held at 5.45 pm) celebrated by six priests was a phenomenal and runaway success. A success that exceeded our wildest dreams. To see St Peters church in Bandra packed to capacity with people standing at the back, the choir loft full, we must’ve have done something right.

The evening ran like clockwork, we started the mass on time and finished on time. We had six priests con celebrating the mass. I have rarely witnessed anything so grand.

The choir was fantastic. A group of young violinists let by the talented Alannah our Mumbai star pianist Merlin De Souza on the keyboard, Clarence our composer on guitar, Horrace, one of Mumbai’s best drummers on percussion, two fantastic Master of Ceremonies, the senior Ray Albuquerque and the young and dynamic Romi Furtados doing the opening address and vote of thanks, it was precision personified.

The mass liturgy was prepared to perfection too by Alannah, the beautiful poster and back drop designed by the very talented Karen Vaswani and the many, many musicians and well-wishers that trooped in with their instruments and played from the pews was a visual delight.

We had music stars in the pews. Joe Vassonkar, Mumbai’s greatest trumpet player, Ashton Colaco on baritone sax, Cyril Coutinho on tenor sax, the fantastic Keith Veigas on guitar, Mumbai’s nicest guy Clifford Pereira sitting in the front row playing his wonderful chords on his acoustic guitar, flute players and other young guitar players spread out all over the pews. It was a sight to see. History was made this day.

It was really something to see that the many videos and photographs will show.

Fr Alban from Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church (Borivali, Mumbai) celebrated the Eucharistic and gave a touching homily. He also sang a beautiful hymn while playing the guitar.

After the mass, many gathered at the church annex to grab a bite. However the catered number of 150 was too less for the mammoth crowd of upwards of 200. None of us could have guessed or estimated the amount of people that would turn up, the amount of love that we received. I still can’t get over it.

No doubt this is a direct result of media coverage and other social media interactions. Also the efficient organizing of the whole team of the core committee that made all these decisions, as the number kept climbing at the last minute to what it was.

This musician’s mass movement has caught on and from here on it can only grow. Perhaps we will need to hire the Brabourne Stadium for the next one.

The fellowship that followed in the Pioneer Hall in Bandra was a playground to meet old and new musicians who had come from far and near over biryani and BYOB session. The place was given to us free of charge by Tuckky Carzai. With some of Mumbai’s best musicians performing the music had to be great, the only regret that we could not accommodate everyone who wanted to sing. You had stars singers like Darren Das, Desmond Taylor, Michael Noronha, Melanie Duggal and some fantastic new discoveries like Pio Linhares and Dimple Alvares.

Hope my dear friend and band mate Rashna Alphonso whose voice I admire tremendously will forgive me for not getting a chance to call her on stage. Sound by Dion and his very obliging boys Vikky and Prateik was also fantastic.

Thank you St Cecelia for the lovely evening and we seek your guidance in every step of the way.

Who is St Cecelia?

Saint Cecilia also spelled Cecily, (flourished 3rd century, Rome [Italy] is one of the most famous Roman martyrs of the early church and historically one of the most discussed.

 According to a late 5th-century legned, she was a noble Roman who, as a child, had vowed her virginity to God. When she was married against her will to the future saint Valerian, then a pagan, she told him that an angel of God wished her to remain a virgin. He promised to respect this wish if he were allowed to see the angel. She replied that he would if he were baptized. On his return from baptism he found Cecilia talking to the angel. She then converted his brother Tiburtius, who also saw the angel. Both men were martyred before she was. She distributed her possessions to the poor, which enraged the prefect Almachius, who ordered her to be burned. When the flames did not harm her, she was beheaded.

Cecilia was buried in the catacomb of St. Callistus, near Rome. At the beginning of the 9th century, Pope Paschal I discovered her incorrupt relics in the catacomb of St. Praetextatus and had them moved to Rome, to a basilica in Trastevere that now bears her name. She became the patron saint of musicians and music; in art she is often represented playing the organ.

By Ernest Flanagan

Ernest Flanagan aka Ernie is a professional musician who has been around since 1976, Singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist and budding poet; he has performed almost all over the world. His vast repertoire of songs in all genres and many original pieces can be found on YouTube