Feast of Saint Stephen's martyrdom in Bulgarian
Orthodox Church / Saint Stephen the first Christian Saint
It is 27th of December, the
3rd day of Christmas and in
those day in the Bulgarian Orthodox Church we
co-memorate saint
Stephen's Martyrdom.
Its a well known fact that by his martyrdom
Saint Stephen become
the first Christian martyr
Stephen's name etymology comes from Greek (Stephanos) and
translated means
"Crown".
What we know from Orthodox Church's tradition is that Stephen was a
very young in his age of Martyrdom probably in his 20s.
Stephen's glorious martyrdom has inspired and strengthened
significantly the early seveerly hunted Church and has give a lot
of courage and faith to many of our early Saint Martyrs. These
early Church saints now incesently pray to God to have mercy on our
earthly Church.
Its not much known fact St. Stephen held a rank in the early Church
clergy, he was a
HieroDeacon.
Hierodeaconism in our church is considered the maximum rank of
deaconship one can have just before he is ordained for a
Priest.
St. Stephen was burning for love in Christ and had a strong faith
in God, turning many Jewish to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
He has shown the truth way to many by teaching them, how to
properly interpret the Old Testament (Ancient Jewish)
writtings.
He explained to many jewish, how all the old scriptures testify
about the coming of the Messiah (Christ), which will save all who
believe in his name from sins hell damnation.
As Jewish looked for ways to shutter any kind of preaching of the
Gospel and kill Christianity, they saw Stephen as a big enemy just
like all Christians in those early days. Therefore they looked for
ways to accuse him and execute them and end up the large numbers of
jewish people converting from Jewism to Christianity
The whole story of stoning (execution) of st. Stephen is described
in the Holy Scriptures in the book called
Acts of the
Apostles
As he was about to die, Stephen looked up to heaven and said;
"Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing
at the right hand of God."
Then, as he was being stoned, he cried out, "Lord Jesus, receive my
spirit.". Our Beloved saints last words were, "Lord, do not hold
this sin against them." manifesting his saintship and deep Christ
love even during his last moments of earthly living.
St. Stephen is celebrated in almost all West Roman Catholic
Church and in Anglicans.
Churches who co-mmemorate the great saint are located in all around
the world.
St. Stephen is also considered a patron saint of
Republika Sprska (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Stephen's name later probably become the origin name for
western's so popular Steven name).
Let by the Holy Prayers of St. Stephen God have mercy on the Church
and increase our faith and mercies to us sinners.