Saint Stephen, the first martyr, is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as “a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit“. He was one of the first seven deacons, assistants chosen by the apostles to help in their service. It is also noted in the Acts of the Apostles that he was “filled with grace and power, and was working great wonders and signs among the people“.
Some members of the synagogue got into a dispute with Stephen, but as they could not cope with his wisdom and the spirit by which he spoke, they incited some people to say:
We have heard him speaking blasphemous words against Moses and God. (Acts 6:11)
They stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes and accused him, leading him to the Sanhedrin, something like a council of elders which was a legislative and judicial assembly.
Then, before the Sanhedrin, Stephen gave his famous speech where he recounted the history of the Israelites and their walk with God and accused those present that they, like their ancestors, resist God and kill his messengers:
You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always oppose the holy Spirit; you are just like your ancestors. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They put to death those who foretold the coming of the righteous one, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. You received the law as transmitted by angels, but you did not observe it. (Acts 7:51-53)
And while the great council was seething with anger from these words, he looked up to the sky and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing at His right hand, and he said:
“Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:56)
Then, full of rage, they rushed at him, dragged him out of the city, and stoned him:
Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them”; and when he said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:60)
In the year 415, the priest Lucian had a dream in which the relics of Saint Stephen were revealed to him. On December 26, 415, these relics were transferred to the Church of Hagia Sion in Jerusalem, marking the beginning of the tradition of celebrating the feast day of Saint Stephen.
