First Martyr · Feast day December 26
St. Stephen
The feast day of St. Stephen is December 26, a feast in the US Catholic calendar. Traditionally invoked as patron of deacons and stonemasons.
| Feast day | December 26 |
|---|---|
| In the US calendar | Feast |
| Title | First Martyr |
| Died | c. 34 |
| Patron of | deacons, stonemasons |
| Next on Bless’s Today screen | None left in the published calendar (through December 31, 2028) |
Life
One of the seven first deacons, ‘filled with grace and fortitude,’ whose debating opponents ‘were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking.’ Hauled before the council, he preached Israel’s whole story ending at the Just One they had betrayed.
They stoned him outside the walls as he prayed, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’ — while a young man named Saul watched the cloaks. His feast follows Christmas: the first witness in blood beside the newborn King.
Patron of
Tradition invokes St. Stephen as patron of deacons and stonemasons.
Saints with the same patronage
- St. Lawrencedeacons · August 10
- Four Crowned Martyrsstonemasons · November 8
Patronages are traditional, not an official list. All patron saints in Bless, A to Z.
In the calendar
The upcoming dates, through December 31, 2028, when Bless’s Today screen shows St. Stephen. Where the US calendar keeps another celebration that day, it is named instead and no rank is given.
Readings
No dates are left in Bless’s published calendar, which runs through December 31, 2028. St. Stephen keeps December 26 in Bless’s calendar of saints: see the saints of December.
All the saints of December Born on December 26? A saint for every day
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