On the Feast of Saint Stephen, the church celebrates the very first martyr to die because of his love for Jesus. You can find Saint Stephen’s story in the Book of Acts. The apostles elected Stephen to take care of the needs of the poor in their community so that the apostles could focus on preaching and teaching God’s Word. Tradition tells us that Stephen was full of grace and fortitude and did great wonders and signs among the people. One day, while Stephen was preaching the Gospel in the streets, angry Jews, who believed his message about Jesus to be blasphemy, dragged him outside of the city and stoned him to death. Since Saint Stephen was the first Christian martyr, the church gave his day of remembrance a special place of honor on the day immediately after we celebrate Christ's birth.
Ways to Celebrate the Feast of St. Stephen
Relax! In many countries around the world, Saint Stephen’s Day is a holiday. It is a day to visit family and friends or to take a long walk in the countryside. In Italy, they play board games and cards; in Poland, they jump into an icy body of water; and in Australia, they go to the beach to swim.
Give your alms to the poor. Since Saint Stephen’s role in the Christian community was to care for those in need, Christians used this day to distribute the alms boxes they collected during Advent to those in need.
In England, small gifts of money are given to those who provide services during the year. These gifts of money were called “boxes.” Thus, Saint Stephen’s Day became known as “Boxing Day.”
The origin of the piggy bank also comes from this day. Children in Germany and Holland stored their money in pig-shaped earthenware containers, which they then broke on Saint Stephen’s Day. The money saved was distributed to the poor.
Throw rice at each other. In Poland, people give Saint Stephen’s Day “blessings” by throwing handfuls of rice, oats, or walnuts at one another. The act symbolizes the stoning of Saint Stephen!
Make Saint Stephen’s Horseshoes. The origins are unclear, but Saint Stephen became the patron saint of horses. On this day, in Poland and other Eastern European countries, bread is baked in the shape of horseshoes.
Make Bubble and Squeak and Mulled Ale. In England, the traditional fare for Saint Stephen’s Day is a roasted vegetable dish known as “Bubble and Squeak” and Mulled Ale.
Eat leftovers. Saint Stephen’s Day in Italy is also called il giorno degli avanzi, “the day of the leftovers.” All of the leftover food from the Christmas Eve and Christmas Day feasts is reworked and enjoyed for lunch. Have a leftover poultry carcass? Make passatelli in brodo. A thick dough made of cheese, breadcrumbs, and egg yolks is pressed through a special sieve-like implement to form golden noodles, which are cooked in the broth and served piping hot.
Devotion for the Feast of St. Stephen
Start the devotion with the lights lowered or off. All of the Advent candles and Christ candle should already be lit.
Leader: Light and peace, in Jesus Christ our Lord.
People: Thanks be to God.
Leader: Let us pray.
Leader: We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
All together
O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of Life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.
A READING FROM HOLY SCRIPTURE
Read: Acts 6:8-15, 7:54-60
8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 9 But one day some men from the Synagogue of Freed Slaves, as it was called, started to debate with him. They were Jews from Cyrene, Alexandria, Cilicia, and the province of Asia. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke. 11 So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.” 12 This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. 13 The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses. 14 We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy the Temple and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” 15 At this point everyone in the high council stared at Stephen, because his face became as bright as an angel’s. 54 The Jewish leaders were infuriated by Stephen’s accusation, and they shook their fists at him in rage. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 56 And he told them, “Look, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing in the place of honor at God’s right hand!” 57 Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him 58 and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.
Use this time for other Christmas observances: slowly move the Wise Men figures to the Nativity Scene.
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