St. Stephen Pray for Us!

First Antiphon for Morning Prayer on the Feast of Saint Stephen, Martyr: "Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father." As Saint Stephen died for Christ, so may we live for him whose cross brings us life eternal! USCCB

What is a martyr?
According to the CCC 2473 Martyrdom is the supreme witness given to the truth of the faith: it means bearing witness even unto death. The martyr bears witness to Christ who died and rose, to whom he is united by charity. He bears witness to the truth of the faith and of Christian doctrine. He endures death through an act of fortitude. “Let me become the food of the beasts, through whom it will be given me to reach God.”²⁷¹ (852, 1808, 1258)

St. Stephen  

Christ is born, give glory.
Christ comes from heaven, meet him.
Christ is on earth, be exalted.
All the earth,
sing unto the Lord,
and sing praises in gladness
all you people,
for he has been glorified.
Wisdom and word and power,
Christ our God
is the Son and the brightness
of the Father,
and unknown to the powers
both above and upon the earth,
he was made human
and so has won us back again,
for he has been glorified.

-Eastern Orthodox prayer
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