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St. Stephen the Protomartyr icon

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St. Stephen the Protomartyr icon
© Cecilia Lawrence
December 22nd, 2016
4.5 x 6 inches
Ink, watercolor, gold leaf


“The gates of heaven opened out to blessed Stephen
and he was crowned first of martyrs.”

~ Antiphon for the Feast of St. Stephen

“My soul has held fast to you, my God;
for your sake I suffered death by stoning.”

~ Antiphon for the Feast of St. Stephen

Merry Christmas! My icon of St. Stephen the Protomartyr depicts the young saint in the red dalmatic of a deacon with an ornate gold deacon’s stole (or orarion). He holds in his rght hand the palm branch signifying victorious martyrdom, and in his left he holds the stones with which he was martyred. His name “Stephen” means “crown” and many Christian writers have written about the significance of his name and his title as the First Christian Martyr. I included a red Greek headband as a reference to the crown with which Greek athletes were awarded as a symbol of their athletic victory or triumph. Church theologians, following the example of St. Paul, have likened the spiritual life and martyrdom in particular to an athletic competition. And since St. Stephen is the first Christian martyr (the “Protomartyr”) I thought the symbolism to be apt.

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:+: A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF THE SAINT :+:

Saint Stephen (First century  – c. 34 A.D.), or St. Stephen the Protomartyr was a Hellenistic Jew who later converted to Christianity in the first days of the early Church. He was one of the first of the seven deacons chosen by the Apostles to minister to the needs of the Church. He was also an eloquent and passionate speaker who fervently preached the word in Jerusalem and worked many miracles among the people. According to the Book of Acts: 

“At that time, as the number of disciples continued to grow, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called together the community of the disciples and said, “It is not right for us to neglect the word of God to serve at table. Brothers, select from among you seven reputable men, filled with the Spirit and wisdom, whom we shall appoint to this task, whereas we shall devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” The proposal was acceptable to the whole community, so they chose Stephen, a man filled with faith and the holy Spirit, also Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicholas of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles who prayed and laid hands on them. The word of God continued to spread, and the number of the disciples in Jerusalem increased greatly; even a large group of priests were becoming obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:1-7)

“Stephen was a man filled with grace and power, who worked great wonders and signs among the people. Certain members of the so- called “Synagogue of Roman Freedmen” (that is, the Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia and Asia) would undertake to engage Stephen in debate, but they proved no match for the wisdom and spirit with which he spoke. They persuaded some men to make the charge that they had heard him speaking blasphemies against Moses and God, and in this way they incited the people, the elders, and the scribes. All together they confronted him, seized him, and led him off to the Sanhedrin. There they brought in false witnesses, who said: “This man never stops making statements against the holy place and the law. We have heard him claim that Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses handed down to us.” The members of the Sanhedrin who sat there stared at him intently. Throughout, Stephen’s face seemed like that of an angel.

The high priest asked whether the charges were true. To this Stephen replied: “My brothers! Fathers! Listen to me…Our fathers in the desert had the meeting tent as God prescribed it when he spoke to Moses, ordering him to make it according to the pattern he had seen. The next generation of our fathers inherited it. Under Joshua, they brought it into the land during the conquest of those peoples whom God drove out to make room for our fathers. So it was until the time of David, who found favor with God and begged that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. It was Solomon, however, who constructed the building for that house. Yet the Most High does not dwell in buildings made by human hands, for as the prophet says: ‘The heavens are my throne, the earth is my footstool; What kind of house can you build me? asks the Lord. What is my resting-place to be like? Did not my hand make all these things?’

You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are always opposing the Holy Spirit just as your fathers did before you. Was there ever any prophet whom your fathers did not persecute? In their day, they put to death those who foretold the coming of the Just One; now you in your turn have become his betrayers and murderers. You who received the law through the ministry of angels have not observed it.”

Those who listened to his words were stung to the heart; they ground their teeth in anger at him. Stephen meanwhile, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked to the sky above and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. “Look!” he exclaimed, “I see an opening in the sky, and the Son of Man standing at God’s right hand.” The onlookers were shouting aloud, holding their hands over their ears as they did so. Then they rushed at him as one man, dragged him out of the city, and began to stone him. The witnesses meanwhile were piling their cloaks at the feet of a young man named Saul.

As Stephen was being stoned he could be heard praying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” He fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And with that he fell asleep. Saul, for his part, concurred in the act of killing. That very day a severe persecution, led by Saul of Tarsus, broke out in Jerusalem against the Christians. Devout men later buried Stephen and mourned greatly for him.”(from the Acts of the Apostles chapters 6 and 7)

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“Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King. Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier. Yesterday our king, clothed in his robe of flesh, left his place in the virgin’s womb and graciously visited the world. Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven.

Our king, despite his exalted majesty, came in humility for our sake; yet he did not come empty-handed. He brought his soldiers a great gift that not only enriched them but also made them unconquerable in battle, for it was the gift of love, which was to bring men to share in his divinity. He gave of his bounty, yet without any loss to himself. In a marvelous way he changed into wealth the poverty of his faithful followers while remaining in full possession of his own inexhaustible riches.

And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier. Love was Stephen’s weapon by which he gained every battle, and so won the crown signified by his name. His love of God kept him from yielding to the ferocious mob; his love for his neighbor made him pray for those who were stoning him. Love inspired him to reprove those who erred, to make them amend; love led him to pray for those who stoned him, to save them from punishment. Strengthened by the power of his love, he overcame the raging cruelty of Saul and won his persecutor on earth as his companion in heaven. In his holy and tireless love he longed to gain by prayer those whom he could not convert by admonition.

Now at last, Paul rejoices with Stephen, with Stephen he delights in the glory of Christ, with Stephen he exalts, with Stephen he reigns. Stephen went first, slain by the stones thrown by Paul, but Paul followed after, helped by the prayer of Stephen. This, surely, is the true life, my brothers, a life in which Paul feels no shame because of Stephen’s death, and Stephen delights in Paul’s companionship, for love fills them both with joy. It was Stephen’s love that prevailed over the cruelty of the mob, and it was Paul’s love that covered the multitude of his sins; it was love that won for both of them the kingdom of heaven.

Love, indeed, is the source of all good things; it is an impregnable defense, and the way that leads to heaven. He who walks in love can neither go astray nor be afraid: love guides him, protects him, and brings him to his journey’s end.

My brothers, Christ made love the stairway that would enable all Christians to climb to heaven. Hold fast to it, therefore, in all sincerity, give one another practical proof of it, and by your progress in it, make your ascent together.”

~ from a sermon by St. Fulgentius of Ruspe

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“Yesterday the Lord was born on earth that Stephen might be born in heaven;
Yesterday our King, clothed in our flesh, came forth from the Virgin’s womb to dwell among us.
The Lord entered into our world that Stephen might enter into heaven.”

~ Responsory for the Feast of St. Stephen

:rose: The Feast of St. Stephen is celebrated on December 26th. :rose:

St. Stephen is the patron saint of deacons, altar servers, and stonemasons.

Lord,
today we celebrate the entrance of Saint Stephen
into eternal glory.
He died praying for those who killed him.
Help us to imitate his goodness
and to love our enemies.
We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son
Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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trollandlolgod's avatar

Sancte Stephanos , my namesake , first of the Western Christians and the first Martyr , pray for me to the Father and ensure that I recieve the Holy Spirit .Help me recognize and denounce Evil as you did , be patient and kind even when abused as you were and be loving and forgiving even to those that hurt me and kill me in any way as you have been .