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EspañolSAINT STEPHEN
(Redirected from St. Stephen)
'Saint Stephen' (Greek: Στέφανος/Stephanos), known as the '''Protomartyr''' (Greek: Πρωτομάρτυρας/Protomartyras) (or first martyr) of Christianity, is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Orthodox Church. Another feast day, the Invention of St. Stephen, was historically kept on August 3, commemorating the finding (Latin: ''inventio'') of his body during the reign of Emperor Honorius. His name means 'laurel wreath' or 'crown' in Greek.
According to the Acts of the Apostles, during the early time frame of the Christian church in Jerusalem, Stephen was one of seven men, probably Hellenistic Jews, chosen to attend to the distribution of aid to elderly widows within the church community. (This role came to be known as deacon.) Stephen was also recognized for his gifts as an evangelist, preaching the teachings of Jesus to the people of Jerusalem, including members of the place of the Hellenistic synagogues.
Acts tells the story of how Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy against Moses and God () and speaking against the Temple and the Law () (see also Antinomianism) and was then stoned to death (c. A.D. 34-35) by an infuriated mob encouraged by Saul of Tarsus, the future Saint Paul: "And Saul entirely approved of putting him to death" (8:1). [2].
Stephen's final speech is presented as making an accusation against the Jew of continuing to persecute prophets who spoke out against their sins:
:'"Which one of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute, and they killed the ones who prophesied the coming of the Just One, of whom now, too, you have become betrayers and murderers." (7:52)
Saint Stephen's name is simply derived from the Greek ''Stephanos'', meaning "crown", which translated into Aramaic as ''Kelil''. Saint Stephen is traditionally invested with a ''crown of martyrdom'' for Christianity and is often depicted in art with three stones and the martyrs' palm. In Eastern Christian iconography he is shown as a young beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments, and often holding a miniature church building and censer.
As he was dying, Saint Stephen experienced a . His theophany was unique in that he saw both the Father and the Son.
:"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." ()
Main articles: St. Stephen's Day
December 26, the "feast of Stephen" referred to in the Christmas carol ''Good King Wenceslas'', is called "St. Stephen's Day"; it is a public holiday in Republika Srpska, England and Wales, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Finland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The holiday is celebrated on December 27 in Romania and other Eastern Orthodox lands. In Catalonia (though not elsewhere in Spain) it is called "Sant Esteve" and is a bank holiday. It is called "Saint Étienne" in France, where it is a bank holiday in the Alsace-Moselle region (but not elsewhere).
December 26 is also a holiday in Ligao City, Philippines, which celebrates ''fiesta'' in honor of St. Stephen Protomartyr, its patron saint.
Many churches are named in honor of Saint Stephen, but there was no official "Tomb of St. Stephen" until 415. When Christian pilgrims were traveling in large numbers to Jerusalem, a priest named Lucian said he had learned by a vision that the tomb was in Caphar Gamala, some distance to the north of Jerusalem. Gregory of Tours reports that the intercession of Stephen preserved an oratory dedicated to him at Metz, in which his relics were preserved when the Huns burned the entire city, leaving only the oratory standing, Easter eve, 451 (''Historia Francorum'' ii.6).
★ In East Jerusalem - 'St. Steven's Church'
★ In the old city of Jerusalem - the "Lions' Gate" is also called '''St. Stephanus Gate''', after the tradition that Stephen's stoning occurred here, though it probably occurred at Damascus Gate [3]
★ In the village of Kafarbe, southeast of Turkey - 'Mor Stephanus Church''
★ In London - "St Stephen's Chapel" in the Palace of Westminster was originally built in the reign of King Henry III and eventually became the first location of the debating chamber of the House of Commons
★
★ A History of Christianity, , Kenneth Scott, Latourette, Harper & Row, 1975, ISBN 0060649526
★ 'Stephen', 'The New Bible Dictionary' ISBN 0-8028-2282-7
Grateful Dead song: St.Stephen live at the Fillmore 1969
★ ''Catholic Encyclopedia'': Saint Stephen
'Saint Stephen' (Greek: Στέφανος/Stephanos), known as the '''Protomartyr''' (Greek: Πρωτομάρτυρας/Protomartyras) (or first martyr) of Christianity, is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Orthodox Church. Another feast day, the Invention of St. Stephen, was historically kept on August 3, commemorating the finding (Latin: ''inventio'') of his body during the reign of Emperor Honorius. His name means 'laurel wreath' or 'crown' in Greek.
| Contents |
| Christian deacon |
| Martyrdom |
| Theophany |
| St. Stephen's Day |
| Cult of Saint Stephen |
| Commemorative places |
| References |
| External links |
Christian deacon
According to the Acts of the Apostles, during the early time frame of the Christian church in Jerusalem, Stephen was one of seven men, probably Hellenistic Jews, chosen to attend to the distribution of aid to elderly widows within the church community. (This role came to be known as deacon.) Stephen was also recognized for his gifts as an evangelist, preaching the teachings of Jesus to the people of Jerusalem, including members of the place of the Hellenistic synagogues.
Martyrdom
Acts tells the story of how Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy against Moses and God () and speaking against the Temple and the Law () (see also Antinomianism) and was then stoned to death (c. A.D. 34-35) by an infuriated mob encouraged by Saul of Tarsus, the future Saint Paul: "And Saul entirely approved of putting him to death" (8:1). [2].
Stephen's final speech is presented as making an accusation against the Jew of continuing to persecute prophets who spoke out against their sins:
:'"Which one of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute, and they killed the ones who prophesied the coming of the Just One, of whom now, too, you have become betrayers and murderers." (7:52)
Saint Stephen preaching
Saint Stephen's name is simply derived from the Greek ''Stephanos'', meaning "crown", which translated into Aramaic as ''Kelil''. Saint Stephen is traditionally invested with a ''crown of martyrdom'' for Christianity and is often depicted in art with three stones and the martyrs' palm. In Eastern Christian iconography he is shown as a young beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments, and often holding a miniature church building and censer.
Theophany
As he was dying, Saint Stephen experienced a . His theophany was unique in that he saw both the Father and the Son.
:"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God." ()
St. Stephen's Day
Main articles: St. Stephen's Day
December 26, the "feast of Stephen" referred to in the Christmas carol ''Good King Wenceslas'', is called "St. Stephen's Day"; it is a public holiday in Republika Srpska, England and Wales, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, Finland, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The holiday is celebrated on December 27 in Romania and other Eastern Orthodox lands. In Catalonia (though not elsewhere in Spain) it is called "Sant Esteve" and is a bank holiday. It is called "Saint Étienne" in France, where it is a bank holiday in the Alsace-Moselle region (but not elsewhere).
December 26 is also a holiday in Ligao City, Philippines, which celebrates ''fiesta'' in honor of St. Stephen Protomartyr, its patron saint.
Cult of Saint Stephen
Many churches are named in honor of Saint Stephen, but there was no official "Tomb of St. Stephen" until 415. When Christian pilgrims were traveling in large numbers to Jerusalem, a priest named Lucian said he had learned by a vision that the tomb was in Caphar Gamala, some distance to the north of Jerusalem. Gregory of Tours reports that the intercession of Stephen preserved an oratory dedicated to him at Metz, in which his relics were preserved when the Huns burned the entire city, leaving only the oratory standing, Easter eve, 451 (''Historia Francorum'' ii.6).
Commemorative places
★ In East Jerusalem - 'St. Steven's Church'
★ In the old city of Jerusalem - the "Lions' Gate" is also called '''St. Stephanus Gate''', after the tradition that Stephen's stoning occurred here, though it probably occurred at Damascus Gate [3]
★ In the village of Kafarbe, southeast of Turkey - 'Mor Stephanus Church''
★ In London - "St Stephen's Chapel" in the Palace of Westminster was originally built in the reign of King Henry III and eventually became the first location of the debating chamber of the House of Commons
References
★
★ A History of Christianity, , Kenneth Scott, Latourette, Harper & Row, 1975, ISBN 0060649526
★ 'Stephen', 'The New Bible Dictionary' ISBN 0-8028-2282-7
Grateful Dead song: St.Stephen live at the Fillmore 1969
External links
★ ''Catholic Encyclopedia'': Saint Stephen
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