The Obituary

Imelda Anton, who as a Carmelite nun took the name Sister Cecilia Mhariam, spent much of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s collecting the Russian liturgy when communism drove the church underground in the former Soviet Union.  She was part of group of Carmelite nuns whose objective was to keep the Russian liturgy alive so that it could be returned to Russia once the church could freely practice again. She passed away in Long Beach, California, on May 5th at the age of 92. 

Imelda was born as Emma Anton at her aunt's house in Los Angeles on February 12, 1924, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants Mansoor Anton and Arzeh Domit. They came to California in the early part of the last century from the Maronite Catholic village of Bcheale in the mountains of Lebanon. She spent her early life living on the top of her parents' grocery store in Anaheim at the corner of Lemon Street and Los Angeles Street (now Anaheim Blvd) with her older brother Anthony Domit and her younger sister Nabiha Teresa.  Both are now deceased. She also lived with her maternal grandmother, Noor Rizk. Imelda delighted in telling the story that her grandmother didn't know her actual birthday so they always celebrated it on Valentine's Day. 

Her parents lost their business during the depression and they struggled, as did many others, through those years. It was during this time that the family suffered discrimination, as Imelda related, for being Catholics or immigrants  - with crosses being burnt in front of their home. This made a lasting impression on Imelda who chose to join the Carmelite community in Jackson Mississippi in her later years in part because of similar instances of discrimination that residents of that state had suffered. While in Anaheim Imelda attended St. Joseph's primary school. Ultimately the family moved to Costa Mesa and built a house on a large lot between Newport Blvd and Church Street on the corner of 19th Street. There she attended and graduated from Newport High School and was a member of St. Joachim's Parish several blocks away.

Imelda attended Fullerton Junior College and studied music. She went on to become an accomplished pianist and violinist, giving lessons in Long Beach and playing violin in the Long Beach Symphony.  Around 1951 at the age of 27 Imelda took her vows as a Carmelite nun and took the name Cecilia Mhariam. Saint Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians and the name Mhariam suggests her Lebanese ancestry. Sister Cecilia initially was cloistered at the Long Beach Monastery across the street from the ocean. After approximately a decade she moved to the Carmelite Monastery in Carmel across from Point Lobos, and then to the monastery in San Rafael. She spent some time as well at the Georgetown monastery as well as out of state at the monastery near Sugarloaf Pennsylvania.  Before joining the Carmelite community in Jackson she was at the Carmelite monastery in Solvang, California. It was very unusual for a Carmelite nun to move from monastery to monastery and as a result she developed many friendships among the Carmelite community. Her study of the Russian liturgy was the catalyst for her many moves between monasteries. 

During the last several decades of her life she mostly lived outside of a monastery back in Long Beach, even though she was a member of the Jackson Carmelite community. While she could she enjoyed given piano recitals for the elderly living at Gold Star Manor where she lived. Imelda suffered profound hearing loss throughout much of her life and she had to give up the violin before the piano.  She was a member of St. Lucy's church in Long Beach and was an active member of that community until the past several years when she was in an elder care facility. When Imelda was first admitted to Shoreline she had severe bed sores, which untreated can be life threatening.  She delighted that the care she received using an innovative treatment provided by Skilled Wound Care resulted in her condition being written up in a local newspaper.  

Imelda is survived by her nieces, Monica Martin Meredith and Mary Martin Megier, and her nephews, Patrick Martin, George Anton, and Chris Anton.  In addition, she has nine grand nieces and nephews and one great grand nephew. They, and all that came into contact with Imelda during her lifetime, were struck by her kindness and gentle voice, her good humor, her lifetime of love for music, and her devotion to her contemplative life and prayer.