Saint Stephen (5-34) was a deacon of the early Christian church in Jerusalem who was the first Christian martyr, being stoned to death for blasphemy in 34 AD.
Biography[]
Stephen was one of the seven deacons appointed by the Twelve Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church, and he was called "Archdeacon", as he was the eldest. He performed his teachings in the synagogues of Hellenistic Jews, and he bested his critics in debate. These critics later falsely claimed that Stephen had blasphemed against Moses and God, and Stephen was taken to the Sanhedrin for trial. Stephen recounted Jewish history and criticized the judges, saying that they had killed the righteous one, Jesus. The Jews proceeded to drag him out of Jerusalem and stone him, and he prayed for his murderers as he was stoned to death; the future Saint Paul was a witness to Stephen's martyrdom. He was the first Christian martyr.
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