Catholic music festival makes impact

Eunice Sibanda
THE annual Roman Catholic Church musical jamboree, St Cecilia Music Competition, lived to its much-hyped about billing when Mutare Diocese paid host to the festival on November 28 at the Mutare Agricultural Showgrounds.

Ndinogara Ndichitenda Mwari Nguva Dzose, composed by Antony Musiwa, was the competition song for the music festival, attended by more than 12 000 people from all over Zimbabwe.

The day began with Mass celebrated by His Lordship, the Bishop of Mutare, Rt Rev Alexio Churu Muchabaiwa. The Bishop of Masvingo Diocese, who is also the bishop-president of Zimbabwe Sacred Music Composers Association (ZICASAM), Rt Rev Dixon Bhasera, several priests and sisters were also present during the competition.

A South African choir, from the Gauteng Province, also participated. The choir defied its torturous road-journey by scooping the eight position out of forty-eight choirs that participated.

As usual, choirs from the Archdiocese of Harare dominated again this year. The ‘godfathers and godmothers’ of Catholic music in Zimbabwe, Southwest of City Deanery of Harare, came first for the 4th consecutive year.

On second position was Gweru Central choir, followed by Inner City Deanery and Southwest of City Deanery of Harare on 4th position. Masvingo came 5th. The host diocese, Mutare Urban One, was on number 7.

The Catholic Church in Zimbabwe celebrates St Cecilia Day, which feast falls on November 22, yearly in commemoration of their patron saint of music.

St Cecilia is famed to have heard heavenly music at one moment in her life.

The Spiritual Director of Mutare Diocese Composers’ Association, Fr Constantine Masarira, who led the team that organised the event, was on cloud nine.

“This was a very successful event. Unity, as espoused by the Holy Trinity – God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit – was on display as people celebrated what they value.

“Catholics and non-Catholics alike were in attendance, yet there was no one incident of violence.”

“I have worked in Harare for 20 years, so when I was transferred to Mutare in August and approached to be part of this event, I was very hesitant.

“However, I am grateful that it all worked out well, thanks to the team behind the scenes, sponsors and all people who attended for exhibiting a sense of maturity, oneness and deep spirituality.”

Fr Masarira said the whole day people glorified and praised God through music as the grounds were packed from 6am to 9pm when the winner was crowned.

History records that St Cecilia was the daughter of patrician Roman Christians, who gave her in marriage to a young nobleman named Valerian of Trastevere, despite her wish to stay a virgin. On her wedding day, while musical instruments were being played, she was singing in her heart to God at a corner, saying: ‘Make my heart and my body pure that I may not be confounded’.

When, after the celebration of the marriage, the couple had retired to their wedding-chamber, Cecilia told Valerian that she was engaged to an angel who jealously guarded her body. Therefore, Valerian must take care not to violate her virginity.

He said, “Dearest, if this be true, show me the angel”. And Cecilia said: “If you believe in the living and one true God and receive the water of baptism, then you shall see the angel.” Valerian agreed and was baptised.

When he returned, he saw Cecilia praying in her chamber, and an angel by her with flaming wings, holding two crowns of roses and lilies, which he placed on their heads, and then vanished. The brother of Valerian, Tiburtius, was also converted and baptised.

The two brothers, who were very wealthy, began to aid the families which had lost their support through the martyrdom of the fathers, spouses, and sons; they saw to the burial of the Christians, and continually braved the same fate as these victims. In that time in Rome, it was very dangerous to be a Christian.

They were arrested and brought before the prefect Almachius, and when they refused to sacrifice to the gods, were executed with a sword. Cecilia buried them at her villa on the Apprian Way and was arrested for the action. Despite the fact that the Roman prefect attempted to persuade her towards more ‘politically correct’ behaviour, Cecilia refused to submit. After a failed attempt to suffocate her in a heated bath in her own home, an executioner was sent to behead her.

Three attempts to behead her mortally wounded but failed to kill her immediately. Over the next three days, she lay in pain, singing songs of praise to God, and comforting herself with sacred music, as her friends came to seek her final blessings.

Finally, she died, three days after the sword failed to behead her, never once forsaking her faith in Christ.

In commemorating this saint, Catholics endeavour to pray to God through sacred music.

And driven by the words of St Augustine, who said that ‘He who sings, prays twice’, Catholics come together to horne their singing expertise. The forum is also used as an avenue to improve singing during Mass.

Next year’s celebrations will be held in Chinhoyi in November.