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'''Saint Stephen the Protomartyr''' (d. c. 34–36 AD), also known as Stephen the Deacon, was the first Christian martyr, stoned to death in Jerusalem for blasphemy, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 6–7), embodying forgiveness and visionary witness amid early persecution.<ref name="newadvent">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14283a.htm|title=St. Stephen, First Martyr|publisher=New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> According to the New Testament, Stephen was a Hellenistic Jew selected as one of the seven deacons to serve Greek-speaking widows, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, performing signs and wonders before his arrest for speaking against the Temple and law.<ref name="wiki">{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stephen|title=Saint Stephen|publisher=Wikipedia|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Tried by the Sanhedrin, his defense traced salvation history from Abraham to Jesus, accusing his accusers of resisting the Spirit, culminating in a vision of the Son of Man standing at God's right hand, enraging the crowd to stone him outside the city, where he prayed for their forgiveness, emulating Christ (Acts 7:60).<ref name="britannica">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Stephen|title=Saint Stephen|publisher=Britannica|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Historical evidence from Acts, corroborated by Saul's (Paul's) presence (Acts 7:58; 22:20), confirms the event c. 34–36 AD, though exact date and Stephen's background (Hellenist or Hellenized Jew) remain probabilistic.<ref name="newadvent" />
'''Saint Stephen''' (d. c. 34–36 AD), also known as '''Saint Stephen the Protomartyr''' or '''Saint Stephen the Deacon''', was the first Christian martyr, stoned to death in [[Jerusalem]] for blasphemy, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (chapters 6–7), embodying forgiveness and visionary witness amid early persecution.<ref name="newadvent">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14283a.htm|title=St. Stephen, First Martyr|publisher=New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> According to the New Testament, Stephen was a Hellenistic Jew selected as one of the seven deacons to serve Greek-speaking widows, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, performing signs and wonders before his arrest for speaking against the Temple and law.<ref name="wiki">{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Stephen|title=Saint Stephen|publisher=Wikipedia|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Tried by the Sanhedrin, his defense traced salvation history from Abraham to Jesus, accusing his accusers of resisting the Spirit, culminating in a vision of the Son of Man standing at God's right hand, enraging the crowd to stone him outside the city, where he prayed for their forgiveness, emulating Christ (Acts 7:60).<ref name="britannica">{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Stephen|title=Saint Stephen|publisher=Britannica|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Historical evidence from Acts, corroborated by Saul's (Paul's) presence (Acts 7:58; 22:20), confirms the event c. 34–36 AD, though exact date and Stephen's background (Hellenist or Hellenized Jew) remain probabilistic.<ref name="newadvent" />


Buried by devout men with great lamentation (Acts 8:2), Stephen's relics were venerated early, with a basilica in Jerusalem by Constantine; as an apostolic-era martyr, his recognition occurred through immediate acclamation, with no formal canonization process, and feast on December 26 (St. Stephen's Day), transferred in some calendars.<ref name="catholic_online">{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=100|title=St. Stephen the First Martyr|publisher=Catholic Online|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Hagiographic traditions of his soul carried by angels or further visions derive from 4th-century homilies like Gregory of Nyssa's rather than scriptural expansions; patronage of deacons, bricklayers, and masons stems from deaconate and stoning.<ref name="franciscan">{{Cite web|url=https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-stephen-the-first-martyr|title=Saint Stephen, the First Martyr|publisher=Franciscan Media|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Stephen symbolizes protomartyrdom, his blood igniting the Church; relics in Rome, Constantinople, and Hungary draw pilgrims.<ref name="wiki" />
Buried by devout men with great lamentation (Acts 8:2), Stephen's relics were venerated early, with a basilica in Jerusalem by Constantine; as an apostolic-era martyr, his recognition occurred through immediate acclamation, with no formal canonization process, and feast on December 26 (St. Stephen's Day), transferred in some calendars.<ref name="catholic_online">{{Cite web|url=https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=100|title=St. Stephen the First Martyr|publisher=Catholic Online|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Hagiographic traditions of his soul carried by angels or further visions derive from 4th-century homilies like Gregory of Nyssa's rather than scriptural expansions; patronage of deacons, bricklayers, and masons stems from deaconate and stoning.<ref name="franciscan">{{Cite web|url=https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/saint-stephen-the-first-martyr|title=Saint Stephen, the First Martyr|publisher=Franciscan Media|access-date=2025-10-20}}</ref> Stephen symbolizes protomartyrdom, his blood igniting the Church; relics in Rome, Constantinople, and Hungary draw pilgrims.<ref name="wiki" />
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