The birth of Jesus is celebrated in the liturgy of the Church for eight days, but on the day after Christmas, the white color of the liturgy changes to red: the color of blood and suffering. Today we remember the first Christian martyr.
Deacon Saint István is the first martyr of Christianity. The Greek name Stephen (Stephanos) was the first known victim of religious intolerance between Jews and Christians. After the Jerusalem Sanhedrin (supreme court) tried him on suspicion of blasphemy, István, in his defense speech, believed that Jesus was the Savior and the Son of God , and called the Jews the murderers of Jesus Christ. István was sentenced to stoning by the Sanhedrin in accordance with Jewish law. St. Stephen, the first martyr, is depicted in a deacon's dalmatic, since, as can be seen from his history, he was one of the first seven deacons appointed by the apostles. Thus he became the patron saint of deacons.
Deacon Stephen's martyrdom was immortalized by St. Luke Stephen was one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles to live for prayer and the ministry of the word.
Among the seven deacons, Lukács singles out István, who was "a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit". István received all heavenly gifts for service, in the original sense of the word, he was entirely a servant, a "deacon".
He was brought before the Sanhedrin like Jesus, and the same accusations were brought against him. Christ's promise was fulfilled on it: "And when they bring you to the synagogue, before the leaders and authorities, do not worry about how and with what to defend yourself, or what to say, because the Holy Spirit will teach you in that hour what you should say" (Lk 12 , 11–12).
The defendant's defense speech fell on the accusers as a serious accusation, which they understood, and István pronounced the sentence: "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing there at the right hand of God!"
The first martyr was stoned to death and sealed his brave testimony. Before his death, he cried out: "Lord Jesus, take my soul!"
Fra Filippo Lippi: Burial of Saint Stephen (1460)
Deacon István's feast is also set by the oldest liturgical sources as December 26.
Source: Hungarian courier
Title image: Rembrandt: The Martyrdom of Saint Stephen)
