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 Art Masterpieces by Beato Angelico: Preaching of St. Stephen and the Stoning of St. Stephen Scott 1242 &1244 (2003) Stephen is the first Christian martyr (protomartyr) whose death in 34/35 is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts, chapters 6 and 7). He was a Hellenistic Jew who was appointed a deacon by the Apostles to look after the faithful, likely the distribution of alms to widows, and also to preach. He was martyred for blasphemy after a lengthy discourse to the Sanhedrin (Acts 7) in which he summarized the history of Judaism and explained that Christ was the Messiah proclaimed by Moses and the prophets, and not tied to or dependent upon Mosaic Law or the Temple. He charged his hearers as being stiff-necked men who did not listen to the Holy Spirit. Stephen said they were guilty of killing of Jesus, just as their fathers had killed many of the prophets. He was then taken outside the city and stoned for blasphemy. The crowd was “…enraged, and ground their teeth against him.” There is no mention of a formal trial. During his martyrdom he saw a vision of Christ standing at the right hand of God: “Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing at the right hand of God. …And as they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ And he knelt down and cried with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’”Saul (later St. Paul), who was then persecuting Christians, was present at Stephen’s stoning (Acts 7). After Stephen’s stoning, ‘a great persecution arose against the Church” in Jerusalem, scattering Christians throughout Judea and Samaria, activities directed by Saul (Acts 8). The feast for St. Stephen was celebrated in both East and West before the fourth century. He may have been first buried at or near St. Stephen’s Gate in Jerusalem, later the site of a monastery. It is said his relics were scattered from Constantinople to Rome. Under Pope Pelagius II (579-590) some or his relics were interred in the crypt of St. Lawrence Outside the Walls. REFERENCES: |
