The Sculptor and the Saint

by Lori Joan Swick

One Woman’s Sacrifice. One Man’s Undoing.

Daughter to an ancient Roman senator, Cecilia is forced into a lonely marriage to a loathsome patrician and leaves behind her infatuation for the handsome Sebastian of Milan. With her husband often away on military duty, however, Cecilia seeks refuge through her clandestine meetings with a Christian congregation hiding in the catacombs beneath the Appian Way. When news of Sebastian's torture brings her to his aid and her involvement with Sebastian and the Christians is exposed, Cecilia must face fatal consequences.

Thirteen hundred years after her death, Saint Cecilia’s body is exhumed from her grave and young artist Stefano Maderno is commissioned by the pope to sculpt her likeness. Seeking a big break in his career, Stefano enthralls himself in his work and the romanticized accounts of Cecilia’s virginity and martyrdom. However, the more he immerses himself in carving her form, the more he struggles against his sinful nature to be worthy of his subject’s virtue. Stefano’s dedication to Cecilia’s legacy might just be what breaks him.

In this gripping tale of passion and agony, two lives separated by centuries are united in their search for purity and purpose. Lori Joan Swick’s The Sculptor and the Saint speaks of a history only ever written in stone.

Genres: Amazon

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 20, 2025

About the author

With a Ph.D. in Religion and Philosophy and a concentration in Women’s Spirituality, Lori’s passion is to put magic back into women’s spiritual experience and shine light on women whose contributions to religious history have been left in the dark. Always sensing a connection to St. Cecilia, Lori spent twenty-five years researching what her life might have been like and decided to write a book with which to share the story of this historical yet mysterious figure.

An award-winning essayist and poet, Lori is also the author of the historical fiction novel, Comfort and Mirth and the non-fiction book Dreaming ~ The Sacred Art. When she is not writing, Lori instructs religion and philosophy as an adjunct university professor. She resides in Southwest Florida.

Reviews

[Mary Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Swick has accomplished the unimaginable. She has breathed life into a woman who lived 1800 years ago. Almost nothing is known with certainty about Saint Cecilia, yet Dr. Swick's novel is so rich in detail that the ring of truth leaps off the page. Her sense of time and place is impeccable, both in Cecilia's early third century and the sculptor Stefano's late sixteenth century.

Swick brings alive the early Christian church, where worship was conducted in secrecy, where death stalked believers, where mistrust distorted relationships, where young Cecilia fought to preserve her purity against severe political and familial pressure.

Swick's characterization of Stefano, the sculptor charged with creating Saint Cecilia's image in marble, is inspired. She understands the language and the tools and the challenges of sculpting, and she imbues Stefano with a seductive mix of artistry, self-denial and carnality.

Cecilia lived and was martyred for her faith. Stefano lived and was feted for his art. And while both led lives of comparative obscurity, Lori Joan Swick has imbued them with all the qualities of great fiction: characters with great passion, a story with insurmountable conflict, a resolution with satisfaction.

The Sculptor and the Saint is historical fiction rooted in the realities of the times. Dr. Swick takes you there.

[Kathleen Murtha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a different take on the martyrdom of St. Cecelia. Martyrdom, yes, but not the narrative we're accustomed to hearing. I admit that, as a conservative Catholic, that did not sit well with me at first. But, this story is so exquisitely written (I was absolutely hooked from the beginning and the last sentence, taken in context, is incredibly beautiful) that I overcame whatever skepticism I had. The book is alive with sights, smells, and sounds. The reader is physically in every scene, feeling everything the protagonists feel. Overall, this is an incredibly beautiful story that will appeal to anyone who loves art, history, and love itself.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.

[Cheryl Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This artfully written double narrative weaves the lives of two people into a story of historical meaning, religious passion, and emotional intensity. Filled with rich description, fullness of character, and cultural-anthropological realism, it creates remarkable depth for the reader and stirs the passion it explores. It presents a frank picture of the period and culture, the role and treatment of women, and raises questions that beg personal answers. And still, there is plenty of mystery and romance to entertain along the way. I enjoyed the author’s end notes, the “inside story,” describing her historical fact finding and subsequent story building. The book is still resonating with me.

[Ginger Wakem · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't stop reading about Cecilia, a young girl manipulated by the vengeful patriarchal Roman society and her uncaring parents. The writing is the most beautiful, exciting and informative I have read in a very long time. As soon as the book was over, I turned to the book cover to enjoy the sculpture I had whisked past in order to get to the story. I took my time and scrutinized Saint Cecilia, lying in her death scene, face turned away, throat slashed, and appreciated every heart-wrenching choice the sculptor made to create her.

[Grace Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books I've read in a while

it is expertly written between two narratives separated by years . it's perfect for people who love the renaissance period .Cecilia is one of the most powerful woman written in the last 5 years who is expertly crafted by Lori Joan Swick ,Stefano highlights her powerful nature in his narrative .

it's perfect for everyone who loves historical fiction .The Niche reader recommended this to me and I'm so glad they did

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

[Malea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It is not a topic I would normally read about and it fascinated me. While I was aware it was historical fiction, I appreciated that the author took time to point out where she took liberties at the end of her writing. I loved the story of Cecelia and what we know happened vs what could have happened. I also really hearing about Stefano as he sculpted and what self sacrifices he made to get the statue perfect. I found the entire book really interesting and would recommend it to others who, like me, are sick of reading historical fiction that is all stuck in one time period on the same topic, and is looking for something new and different. For a book with religious undertones, it did not feel like religion was being jammed down my throat. I truly enjoyed this book. I did receive a copy from The Niche Reader, but the choice to review was my own.