On January 8th, the Orthodox church remembers St. Stephens, the first Christian who stood for his beliefs against the political oppression and became the first martyr for Christianity.
According to the Acts of the Apostles Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) for blasphemy against Moses and God (Acts 6:11) and speaking against the Temple and the Law (Acts 6:13-14). He was stoned to death (c. A.D. 34–35) by an infuriated mob encouraged by Saul of Tarsus, the future Saint Paul: "And Saul entirely approved of putting him to death" (Acts 8:1). Stephen's final speech was presented as accusing the Jews of persecuting prophets who spoke out against their sins: '"Which one of the Prophets did your fathers not persecute, and they killed the ones who prophesied the coming of the Just One, of whom now, too, you have become betrayers and murderers." (Acts 7:52) Saint Stephen's name is simply derived from the Greek Stephanos, meaning "crown". Traditionally, Saint Stephen is invested with a crown of martyrdom for Christianity
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St. Stephen was a Jew living in the Hellenic provinces, related to the Apostle Paul and one of the first seven deacons ordained by the Apostles to serve the Church in Jerusalem (thus making him an archdeacon). In the words of Asterias: St Stephen was "the starting point of the martyrs, the instructor of suffering for Christ, the foundation of righteous confession, since Stephen was the first to shed his blood for the Gospel." The Holy Spirit worked powerfully through his faith, enabling him to perform many miracles and always defeat the Jews who would dispute with him. The Jews in their hatred of St. Stephen lied about him to the people, but St. Stephen with his face illumined reminded the people of the miracles God had worked through him and even rebuked the Jews for killing the innocent Christ.
The people were enraged by what they thought was blasphemy and 'gnashed their teeth' at Stephen. It was then that he saw his Christ in the heavens and declared it so. Hearing this, the Jews took him outside the city and stoned him to death, with his kinsman Saul (later St. Paul) holding their coats while they did it. Afar off on a hill was the Virgin Mary and St. John the Theologian who witnessed this first martyrdom for the Son of God and prayed for him while he was being stoned. This occurred about a year after the first Pentecost.
Source: Orthodox Wikipedia
Evening Reading: St. Mark 12: 1-12
Morning Reading: St. John 8: 34-59
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 34: 7-12, II Chronicles 24: 20-25, Isaiah 37: 8-20
New Testament Reading: Acts 7:54 – 8:2, I Corinthians 1: 10-17; 16: 15-24
Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 23: 34-39
Morning Reading: St. John 8: 34-59
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 34: 7-12, II Chronicles 24: 20-25, Isaiah 37: 8-20
New Testament Reading: Acts 7:54 – 8:2, I Corinthians 1: 10-17; 16: 15-24
Gospel Reading: St. Matthew 23: 34-39
God Bless,
Saint Peters Youth Club
Philadelphia, PA
Website: http://www.phillyspyc.com
Website: http://www.phillyspyc.com
