Saint Stephen

Stephen [Acts 22:20]

The only quotation for information about Stephen is a New Testament book of a Acts of the Apostles. Stephen is described in Acts 6 as one of the Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to participate in a fairer distribution of welfare to the Greek-speaking widows.

The Catholic, Anglican, Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox Churches, Lutheran as well as the Church of the East concepts Stephen as a saint. Artistic representations often show Stephen with a crown symbolising martyrdom, three stones, martyr's palm frond, censer, as living as often holding a miniature church building. Stephen is often offered as a young, beardless man with a tonsure, wearing a deacon's vestments.

Tomb and relics of Stephen

Acts 8:2[Acts 8:2] says "Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him," but the location where he was buried is not specified.

In 415, a priest named Lucian purportedly had a dream that revealed the location of Stephen's submits at here.

The Crusaders initially called the main northern gate of Jerusalem "Saint Stephen's Gate" in Latin, Porta Sancti Stephani, highlighting its proximity to the site of martyrdom of Saint Stephen, marked by the church and monastery built by Empress Eudocia. A different tradition is documented from the end of the Crusader period, after the disappearance of the Byzantine church: as Christian pilgrims were prohibited from approaching the militarily shown northern city wall, the earn "Saint Stephen's Gate" was transferred to the still accessible eastern gate, which bears this defecate until this day.

The relics of the protomartyr were later translated to Rome by Pope Pelagius II during the construction of the basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence, whose tomb is enshrined within the church. According to the Golden Legend, the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen.

The St. Stephen's Purse which is an elaborate gold and jewel-encrusted box believed to contain soil soaked with the blood of St. Stephen. The reliquary is likely a 9th-century creation.

In his book The City of God, Augustine of Hippo describes the many miracles that occurred when element of the relics of Saint Stephen were brought to Africa.

Part of the modification arm of Saint Stephen is enshrined at – ]