Saint Stephen's Day

"Good King Wenceslas looked out

on the feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about

deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night

though the frost was cruel
When a poor man came in sight

gath'ring winter fuel."

I hope you had all a lovely Christmas and a nice Boxing Day. In Italy the 26th December is dedicated to Saint Stephen, therefore it is called “Giorno di Santo Stefano” (Saint Stephen’s Day).

Stephen was the first Christian martyr, stoned to death shortly after the Crucifixion. He was selected by the apostles as one of the 7 deacons to help with charity work and his task was to look after the poor, particularly the old. It is believed he was a Jew and then converted to Christianity. He was excellent at preaching which made him enemies. This caused him to be charged with blasphemy. At the supreme Jewish law court, the Sanhedrin, Stephen told about the many mercies that God had given the children of Israel, and the ungrateful way in which they had repaid Him. He accused them of murdering Jesus, whose coming, he said, had been foretold by Moses. This angered the crowd and he was dragged out onto the streets. He was then stoned to death according to the law at that time. His stoning was witnessed by Saul who was to become Saint Paul in later times.

Saint Stephen is often represented carrying a pile of rocks or with rocks on his head.