Stephen

Meaning
Stephen c. 5 – c. 33-36, age 28-32
Greek: Στέφανος Stéphanos (Latin alphabet)
Hebrew: סטפנוס הקדוש, Stephanos HaQadosh (Latin alphabet)
The name means “wreath, crown” and by extension “reward, honor, renown, fame”, often given as a title rather than as a name.

Martyrdom
According to Acts, he was a deacon in the early Church at Jerusalem and angered members of various synagogues. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities sitting in judgment of him and was then stoned to death. Before his conversion, St. Paul, a Roman citizen and Pharisee, participated in Stephen’s martyrdom. We commemorate him this coming Wednesday.

Miracles
From the desk of Father Joshua Curtis, FSSP, St. Stephen the First Martyr, Sacramento, CA – “The discovery of the relics of St. Stephen was one of the most magnificent chapters in the history of the early Church. St. Augustine, who heard of and witnessed many miracles in the presence of these relics, was not able even to record all of them: ‘What am I to do? I am so pressed by the promise of finishing this work that I cannot record all the miracles I know.’”​