Posted on 12/26/2021 1:02:37 PM PST by CheshireTheCat
The day after Christmas — or the second day of the twelve days of Christmas, in a more traditional coinage — is the feast of St. Stephen.*
St. Stephen is well-known as the “protomartyr”, the first Christian to die for his faith. (Jesus doesn’t count.) There’s a St. Stephen’s Gate in Jerusalem so named for its supposed proximity to the site of the protomartyrdom.
We get the Stephen story from the New Testament Acts of the Apostles, as given in this from the Tyndale-derived King James Version (Acts 6:8 – 8:3)
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, and set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel...
(Excerpt) Read more at executedtoday.com ...
Our youngest is named after St. Stephen. One of my favorite saints and favorite names.
My son was named after St. Stephen. Praise God!
The life story of St. Stephen always takes a little bit of the joy out of Christmas.
I recently reread this book which gives as good a scholarly account as one will find on Saul’s role in St. Stephen’s martyrdom.
The life and epistles of St. Paul
by Conybeare, William John, 1815-1857; Howson, J. S. (John Saul), 1816-1885
The book may be found on Internet Archive.
Death sucks! The good news is that in Christ, we have eternal life. Stephen knew this.
"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep." - Acts 7: 55-60
DailyMail ran a photo of it today:
British and Indian soldiers at St. Stephen's Gate (Lions' Gate) in Jerusalem on April 8, 1920 - just under 18 months after the end of the First World War. The gate is one of the seven access points to the Old City of Jerusalem
The story of Stephen being told on Boxing Day is the “are you sure?” checkbox to all those loudly singing their carols, driving through the light shows, and ripping open their presents. Alleluia-ing the baby in the manger is likely to get people telling lies about you, getting you convicted in show trials, losing everything you have, and being stoned to death by people—some of whom you will later meet in heaven, as Stephen would meet Saul. Christianity is not a Hallmark movie or a cutesy ho-ho-ho; if we’re lucky we get to have fun on Christmas Day, but then it’s back to the fight against hell and all evil, a fight we will all win, but have to die doing it. Lord, be with us in power and love.
Stephen is the patron saint of France ... Etienne
This here post ought to work at this here Catholic place!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVoANsKnlLs
Death I can handle.
Being stoned to death by an enraged mob, not so much.
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