Feast: December 26 (II Classis in the Traditional Roman Rite)
Title: Protomartyr (First Martyr), Deacon of the Church, Full of Faith and the Holy Ghost
Symbols: Stones, martyr’s palm, deacon’s dalmatic, censer
I. Introduction: The Glory of the First Martyr
St. Stephen, honored as the Protomartyr—the first to shed his blood for Christ after the Ascension—is one of the most radiant figures of the early Church. His feast is celebrated immediately after the Nativity of the Lord, as if to show that the birth of the Redeemer is inseparable from the witness of His servants. St. Fulgentius writes:
“Yesterday, the Lord was born upon earth, that today Stephen might be born in heaven.”
From the very dawn of the Church, Stephen’s life has stood as a shining beacon of fidelity, charity, and courage. He is the pattern of all deacons, the forerunner of all martyrs, and the echo of Christ’s own meekness and mercy.
II. Life and Ministry
Stephen was among the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles (Acts 6:1–6) to assist with the distribution of alms and the service of the poor, so that the Apostles might devote themselves to “prayer and the ministry of the word.” The name Stephen (Greek: Stephanos) means crown, and he was soon to receive the first martyr’s crown for Christ.
The Acts of the Apostles describes him as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 6:5). He wrought “great wonders and signs among the people” (v. 8), drawing the envy of certain members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen. These men disputed with him, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit that spoke” (v. 10). Like Christ, Stephen was accused falsely, dragged before the Sanhedrin, and condemned for blasphemy.
III. His Witness Before the Sanhedrin
Stephen’s speech in Acts 7 is the longest recorded in the book, a sweeping testimony that traces Israel’s history and denounces the hardness of heart of its leaders:
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (Acts 7:51)
With boldness, he confronted their betrayal of the prophets and their murder of the Just One, Christ Jesus. For this, they “gnashed their teeth” and, in fury, dragged him outside the city to stone him.
IV. His Martyrdom
As they raised stones to kill him, Stephen lifted his eyes to heaven and cried out:
“Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)
The Fathers often note that Christ, who is usually described as seated at the right hand of the Father, is here standing—a mark of divine honor and readiness to receive His martyr. St. Gregory of Nyssa teaches:
“He whom Stephen bore witness to, stood up to bear witness to Stephen.”
As he was dying, Stephen imitated Christ in two final acts:
- He commended his soul: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” (v. 59)
- He prayed for his murderers: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” (v. 60)
With this, he “fell asleep,” as Scripture gently describes the martyr’s death.
V. The Conversion of Saul
Present at the stoning was a young man named Saul, who “consented to his death” and guarded the garments of the executioners (Acts 7:58; 8:1). The Church Fathers never fail to see in this moment a mystical seed. St. Augustine writes:
“If Stephen had not prayed, the Church would not have Paul.”
The martyr’s blood watered the soul of the future Apostle to the Gentiles.
VI. Cult and Relics
The body of St. Stephen was buried outside Jerusalem and remained hidden until it was miraculously discovered in 415 A.D., near the village of Kafr Gamala. His relics were solemnly translated to Jerusalem and later to Constantinople and Rome. The translation of his relics occasioned many miracles, and devotion to him spread rapidly through East and West.
In Rome, a basilica was built in his honor—San Stefano Rotondo—and in the West he has ever been honored as one of the principal patrons of deacons and martyrs.
VII. Legacy in the Church
The Roman Breviary proclaims him as “a man full of grace and fortitude,” and the Proper of the Mass for December 26th reflects both the joy of victory and the cost of witness. The Introit sings of the crown (Stephanos):
“Princes sat and spoke against me, and the wicked persecuted me: help me, O Lord my God, for Thy servant meditates on Thy statutes.” (Ps. 118)
His example teaches us:
- The union of charitable service with zealous preaching;
- The need to speak the truth, even when it wounds;
- The virtue of praying for our enemies.
As the Church sings in the antiphon: “The gates of heaven were opened to Stephen, the first martyr, and he is crowned in blessedness.”
VIII. Conclusion: The Crown of Glory
In St. Stephen, the Church venerates not only her first martyr but the perfect fruit of Christmas grace. He shows that the Incarnation is not merely to comfort us, but to make us bold witnesses—martyrs—of divine truth. His crown awaits all who will follow Christ with like courage, humility, and love.
Prayers to St. Stephen
Collect (Traditional Roman Missal):
Grant us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, to imitate what we revere, that we may learn to love even our enemies: for we celebrate the birth to life everlasting of him who knew how to pray even for his persecutors to our Lord Jesus Christ Thy Son…
Short Prayer:
St. Stephen, Protomartyr, intercede for us, that we may bear witness to Christ in word and deed, and forgive as we have been forgiven.