Dec 27
St. Stephen (whose name in Greek means “Crown,” was the first Christian martyr. His death is recorded in Acts 6-7. He is first mentioned as one of the seven men who were chosen to become the deacons of the early church. They concerned themselves mostly with works of charity within the community. St. Stephen spoke with fervor about the new law given to Christians by the Lord, and because of this, he came into conflict with the Jews. He was stoned to death, receiving the crown of martyrdom. One of the Jews who took part in the stoning was a man by the name of Saul, who later became St. Paul.
