Homily One: Saint Gregory of Nyssa on Saint Stephen the Protomartyr
How lovely is the inspiration exhibited by those who are good, and how sweet is the joy which they disclose! See, we acquire a feast from a feast and grace from grace. Yesterday the Lord of the universe welcomed us whereas today it is the imitator [Stephen] of the Lord. How are they related to […]
Saint Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon
The Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen was the eldest of the seven deacons, appointed by the Apostles themselves, and therefore he is called “archdeacon.” He was the first Christian martyr, and he suffered for Christ when he was about thirty. In the words of Asterias, he was “the starting point of the martyrs, the instructor […]
The Finding and the Translation of the Relics of Saint Stephen the Archdeacon and Proto-Martyr
When the wicked Jews slew St. Stephen by stoning, they left his body for the dogs to consume. However, God’s Providence intended otherwise. The martyr’s body lay in an open place at the foothill of the city for one night and two days. The second night Gamaliel, Paul’s teacher and secretly a disciple of Christ, […]