The Holy Protomartyr Stephen the Archdeacon

Stephen was a kinsman of the Apostle Paul and one of those Jews who lived in the Hellenic provinces. Stephen was the first of the seven deacons whom the holy apostles ordained and appointed to the service of assisting the poor in Jerusalem. For this, he is called the archdeacon.

By the power of his faith, Stephen worked great miracles among the people. The wicked Jews disputed with him, but they were always defeated by his wisdom and the power of the Spirit, Who acted through him. Then the shameful Jews, accustomed to calumnies and slander, incited the people and the elders of the people against the innocent Stephen, slandering him as though he had blasphemed against God and against Moses. False witnesses were quickly found who confirmed this. Stephen then stood before the people, and all saw his face as it had been the face of an angel (Acts 6:15), that is, his face was illumined with the light of grace as was once the face of Moses when he spoke with God. Stephen opened his mouth and enumerated the many good works and miracles that God had performed in the past for the people of Israel, as well as the many crimes and opposition to God on the part of this people. He especially rebuked them for the killing of Christ the Lord, calling them betrayers and murderers (Acts 7:52). And while they gnashed their teeth, Stephen beheld and saw the heavens open and the glory of God. That which he saw, he declared to the Jews: Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God! (Acts 7:56). Then the malicious men took him outside the city and stoned him to death. Among his persecutors was his kinsman Saul, later the Apostle Paul.

At that time, the Most-holy Theotokos, standing on a rock at a distance with St. John the Theologian, witnessed the martyrdom of this first martyr for the truth of her Son and God, and she prayed to God for Stephen. This occurred one year after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Gamaliel, a prince of the Jews and a secret Christian, clandestinely took St. Stephen's body and buried it on his own estate. Thus, this first among the Christian martyrs gloriously reposed and took up his habitation in the Kingdom of Christ God.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE HOLY PROTOMARTYR STEPHEN THE ARCHEACON

Upon Stephen, illumined by the Spirit,

The Jewish murderers rushed.

Bloody Stephen knelt

And in a loud voice cried out to God:

"O Lord, Who from the Cross forgave

The greatest sin to ever shake the earth,

The greatest sin that heaven ever beheld,

Thou forgavest Thy murderers.

Now, O Most-gracious One, forgive mine also!

This crime--what is it compared to that one?

And I, what am I, compared to my Lord?''

Saying this he gave his spirit to God.

The angry elders, ugly cowards,

Dispersed after they killed him.

Then from heaven angels flew down

Around the body of the Protomartyr.

They chanted a hymn in chorus to him

And carried his paradisal soul to Paradise.

Source: Prologue from Ochrid