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Saint Stephen in a deacon’s dalmatic with the stones of his martyrdom and a palm, painted by Carlo Crivelli in 1476

Saint Stephen

The first Christian martyr, stoned while Saul, the future Paul, approved

Patron of
stoneworkers, masons
Western calendar
26 December
Orthodox calendar
27 December (9 January on the old calendar)

Stephen's name stands first among the seven men the apostles chose as deacons in Jerusalem, a man "filled with faith and the Holy Spirit" who worked wonders among the people. Brought before the Sanhedrin, he told the whole story of salvation and ended, "Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God", and he was driven out of the city and stoned, while Saul, the future Apostle Paul, was among those who approved. As he died, the first Christian martyr, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. O Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."

Sources

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What is a saint’s feast day?

It is the day each year when the Church remembers a saint in its prayers, and for most saints it is the day they died and went home to God. Many saints here have two dates, because the Western and Orthodox Churches keep their own calendars, and some Orthodox churches still count by the old Julian calendar, which runs thirteen days behind ours.

What is a patron saint?

A patron saint is one we ask to pray for us in a particular place, work or need, as many ask Anthony of Padua for help when something is lost, and as Ireland looks to Patrick. A few patronages were declared by a pope, and most grew from long custom. A card says “Patron of” only where a source we checked names one.

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We began with the saints people search for most, by name, by need and by date, along with the apostles and the saints Orthodox Christians look for. Then we made sure every day of the year has at least one saint. That gives 378 so far, and we keep adding the saints readers ask for.

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