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anastpaul · 6 years

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Saint of the Day – St Stephen The First Martyr – 26 December – Deacon, Preacher (c 05-c 34) the name “Stephen” – Stéphanos, meaning “wreath, crown” and by extension “reward, honour”, often given as a title rather than as a name. Patronages – • against headaches • brick layers• casket makers, coffin makers• deacons•altar servers • horses• masons, stone masons• Metz, France, diocese of• Owensboro, Kentucky, diocese of• Toulouse, France, rchdiocese of• 92 cities. Attributes – stones, dalmatic, censer, miniature church, Gospel Book, martyr’s palm frond.

St Stephen was according to the Acts of the Apostles a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgement against him and was then stoned to death. His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee who would later himself become a follower of Jesus and known as Paul the Apostle.

The only primary source for information about Stephen is the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to participate as a deacon in the early Church by the eleven – before the twelfth was elected.

“Good King Wenceslaus went out, on the Feast of Stephen”. This is the Feast of St Stephen, the day after Christmas, when we commemorate the first disciple to die for Jesus.

In the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke praises St Stephen as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit,” who “did great wonders and signs among the people” during the earliest days of the Church. Luke’s history of the period also includes the moving scene of Stephen’s death – witnessed by St Paul before his conversion – at the hands of those who refused to accept Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Stephen himself was a Jew who most likely came to believe in Jesus during the Lord’s ministry on earth. He may have been among the 70 disciples whom Christ sent out as missionaries, who preached the coming of God’s kingdom while travelling with almost no possessions. This spirit of detachment from material things continued in the early Church, in which St Luke says believers “had all things in common” and “would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.” But such radical charity ran up against the cultural conflict between Jews and Gentiles, when a group of Greek widows felt neglected in their needs as compared to those of a Jewish background.

Stephen’s reputation for holiness led the Apostles to choose him, along with six other men, to assist them in an official and unique way as this dispute arose. Through the sacramental power given to them by Christ, the Apostles ordained the seven men as deacons and set them to work helping the widows.

As a deacon, Stephen also preached about Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament law and prophets. Unable to refute his message, some members of local synagogues brought him before their religious authorities, charging him with seeking to destroy their traditions. Stephen responded with a discourse recorded in the seventh chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. He described Israel’s resistance to God’s grace in the past and accused the present religious authorities of “opposing the Holy Spirit” and rejecting the Messiah.

Before he was put to death, Stephen had a vision of Christ in glory. “Look,” he told the court, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” The council, however, dragged the deacon away and stoned him to death. “While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,’ records St. Luke in Acts 7. “Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.

(via AnaStpaul – Breathing Catholic)

#ststephen #december26ststephen #catholic #catholicism #firstmartyr #protomartyr

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thedavekim · 6 years

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“Look! I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God!” - St Stephen, the first martyr #lent2018 #day16 #40for40 #ststephen #redux #deathbystoning #firstmartyr #prayforus #catholic #backtothedrawingboard

#catholic #lent2018 #day16 #prayforus #ststephen #deathbystoning #redux #40for40 #firstmartyr #backtothedrawingboard

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orthodoxydaily · 4 years

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Saints&Reading: Sat., Aug 15, 2020

Commemorated on August 2_Julian calendar

The Transfer from Jerusalem to Constantinople of the Relics of the Holy FirstMartyr (protomartyr) Stephen (428)

The Transfer from Jerusalem to Constantinople of the Relics of the Holy FirstMartyr Stephen occurred in about the year 428. After the holy FirstMartyr Archdeacon Stephen was pelted with stones by the Jews, they threw his holy body without burial for devouring by the beasts and birds. The reknown Jewish law-teacher Gamaliel, having begun to be inclined towards faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah and also defending the Apostles at the Sanhedrin (Acts 5: 34-40), on the second night sent people devoted to him to take up the body of the Firstmartyr. Gamaliel gave him burial on his own grounds, in a cave, not far from Jerusalem. When in turn there died the secret disciple of the Lord, Nicodemus, who had come to Christ at night (Jn. 3: 1-21; 7: 50-52; 19: 38-42), Gamaliel likewise buried him nearby the grave of Archdeacon Stephen. Afterwards Gamaliel himself, having accepted holy Baptism together with his son Habib, was buried near the grave of the FirstMartyr Stephen and Saint Nicodemus. In the year 415 the relics of the saint were uncovered in a miraculous manner and solemnly transferred to Jerusalem by the archbishop John together with the bishops Eleutherios of Sebasteia and Eleutherios of Jericho. From that time began healings from the relics. Afterwards, during the reign of holy nobleborn emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450), the relics of the holy FirstMartyr Stephen were transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople and placed in a church in honour of the holy Deacon Laurentius, and after the construction of a temple in honour of the FirstMartyr Stephen the relics were transferred there on 2 August. The right hand of the FirstMartyr is preserved in the Serapionov chamber of the Troitsky-Sergiev Lavra.

Acts 6:8-15; 7:1-5, 47-60 (Protomartyr)

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

9 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

11 Then they secretly induced men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."

12 And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.

13 They also set up false witnesses who said, "This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law;

14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.

15 And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

1 Then the high priest said, "Are these things so?"

2 And he said, "Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

3 and said to him, 'Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you.'

4 Then he came out of the land of the Chaldeans and dwelt in Haran. And from there, when his father was dead, He moved him to this land in which you now dwell.

5 And God gave him no inheritance in it, not even enough to set his foot on. But even when Abraham had no child, He promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his descendants after him.

47But Solomon built Him a house.

48 However, the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands, as the prophet says:

49 Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. What house will you build for Me? says the LORD, Or what is the place of My rest?

50Has My hand not made all these things?'

51You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

52Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, of whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers,

53who have received the law by the direction of angels and have not kept it.

54When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth.

55But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God,

56and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!"

57Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord;

58and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul.

59And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

60Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Matthew 17:24-18:4

24When they had come to Capernaum, those who received the temple tax came to Peter and said, "Does your Teacher not pay the temple tax?"

25He said, "Yes." And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth take customs or taxes, from their sons or from strangers?"

26Peter said to Him, "From strangers." Jesus said to him, "Then the sons are free.

27Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first. And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you.

1At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,

3and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

4Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

#ortohodxy #orthodoxchristian #ancientfaith #wisdom #spirituality #gospel #martyr #saint #christianity

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piouscatholic · 3 years

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#FeastofStStephen

#FirstMartyr

#SeconddayoftheOctaveofChristmas

#December26

They threw him out of the city, and began to stone him.

The witnesses laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

As they were stoning Stephen, he called out “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

(Acts 7:58-59)

What a shocking contrast! Yesterday, our Church celebrated the joyous birth of the Savior of the world.

Today we honor the first Christian martyr, St. Stephen.

Yesterday, the world was fixated on a humble and precious infant lying in a manger. Today, we stand by as witnesses to the blood that was shed by St. Stephen for professing his faith in this little child.

In a sense, this feast day adds some immediate drama to our Christmas celebration.

It’s a drama that should never have happened, but it’s a drama that was permitted by God as St. Stephen bore the greatest witness of faith to this newborn King.

Perhaps there are many reasons to include the feast of the first Christian Martyr in the Church’s calendar on the second day of the Octave of Christmas.

One such reason is to immediately remind us of the consequences of giving our lives to Him who was born an infant in Bethlehem.

The consequences? We must give Him everything, holding nothing back, even if it means persecution and death.

At first, this could appear to strip away our Christmas joy.

It could appear to put a damper on this festive season.

But with the eyes of faith, this feast day only adds to the glorious solemnity of this Christmas celebration.

It reminds us that the birth of Christ requires everything from us.

We must be ready and willing to give our lives to Him completely and without reserve. The birth of the Savior of the world means we must reprioritize our lives and commit to choosing Him above all else, even above our own lives.

It means we must be ready and willing to sacrifice everything for Jesus, living selflessly and faithfully to His most holy will.

“Jesus is the reason for the season,” we often hear.

This is true.

He is the reason for life and the reason to give our lives without reserve.

Reflect, today, upon the demand imposed upon you by the birth of the Savior of the world.

From an earthly perspective, this “demand” can appear overwhelming. But from the perspective of faith, we recognize that His birth is nothing more than an opportunity for us to enter into new life.

We are called to enter into a new life of grace and total self-giving.

Let yourself embrace this Christmas celebration by looking at ways you are being called to give of yourself more completely.

Do not be afraid to give everything to God and others.

It’s a sacrifice worth giving and is made possible by this precious Child.

Lord, as we continue the glorious celebration of Your birth, help me to understand the effect that Your coming among us must have on my life.

Help me to clearly perceive Your invitation to give myself completely to Your glorious will.

May Your birth instill in me a willingness to be born anew into a life of selfless and sacrificial giving.

May I learn to imitate the love that St. Stephen had for You and to live that radical love in my life.

St. Stephen, pray for me.

Jesus, I trust in You.

#MyCatholicLife

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