Saint Stephen - The First Christian Martyr
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Saint Stephen was one of seven deacons serving the needs of the growing Church. In the "Acts of the Apostles," in the Bible, he was accused of blasphemy against God and Moses. He was then stoned to death, as he prayed "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... Lord, do not hold this sin against them" in front of the future Saint Paul.
Saint Stephen, one of the 72 Disciples
Saint Stephen is considered to be one of the 72 disciples appointed by Christ. These disciples were sent forth to proclaim the Gospel, preach to the masses, and heal people. After the Ascension, Saint Stephen was chosen to be one of the original seven deacons. Their initial task was to care for the widows. Stephen specifically was given the task of distributing food and goods to the Hellenitistic widows and they were often forgotten about compared to the Hebrew widows. This ministry was very fruitful, and as a result, many people came forward to challenge him. These challengers were unable to overcome his wisdom, so they put him on trial before the Sanhedrin.
The Martyrdom of Saint Stephen
Saint Stephen was charged with blasphemy against God and Moses. This was the same so-called crime that they had accused Jesus of. Stephen scolded the chief priests for resisting the Holy Spirit and accused them of murdering Jesus. This did not go over well, and as their anger increased, he uttered what would be the last straw: “Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God.” They grabbed Saint Stephen, dragged him out of the city, and proceeded to stone him. His final words were “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
Saint Stephen's Speech
Saint Stephen delivered a long speech to the Sanhedrin that led to his execution. His main point was that throughout Israel's history, God always worked on His own. He chose prophets to deliver His message, and the Jewish people rejected these messengers. He concluded by pointing out that they even went so far as to kill the Chosen One that the prophets foretold.
It is significant that the first disciple to bear witness to his faith in Christ to the point of shedding his blood was Stephen, who belonged to this group [the seven men chosen for the service of the poor]. In him, the witness of caring for the poor and of martyrdom are united.
Why do we celebrate Saint Stephen on December 26th?
After Saint Stephen was martyred, the location of his tomb was forgotten for close to four centuries. Then, in 415 AD, a priest named Lucian began to have visions. The priest was receiving messages from Gamaliel, who was Saint Paul's teacher and, according to tradition, a secret Christian. Gamaliel revealed to Father Lucian that Saint Stephen was buried in a burial site near Jerusalem alongside Nicodemus and Gamaliel himself. Gamaliel asked Father Lucian to uncover the tomb so that God could "open to many the gates of His mercy" through the relics.
Father Lucian went to the Bishop of Jerusalem, and the relics were unearthed on December 26, 415. Immediately, many miracles were triggered. 70 witnesses were healed on the spot, and the joyous news spread throughout the Christian world.
Some of Saint Stephen's relics were sent to Hippo, where the future Saint and Doctor of the Church, Augustine, reigned as bishop.
Saint Augustine, in his book “The City of God,” detailed many miracles associated with the relics of Saint Stephen, such as the story of a blind woman who regained her eyesight when she touched flowers from the reliquary.
