Novena to the Holy Deacons, Day 1: Saint Stephen

O glorious Saint Stephen, first Martyr for the Faith, filled with compassion for those who invoke you, with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles. I kneel at your feet and humbly beg you to take my present need under your special protection the Joyful Servants, that they may serve faithfully in your love to all. Vouchsafe to recommend it to our Lord Jesus. Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted. Above all, obtain for me the grace to one day meet God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the angels and saints praise Him through all eternity.

O most powerful Saint Stephen, deacon and martyr, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the grace of entering heaven, forever and ever.

V Most holy Saint Stephen, pray for us
R That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.

Our Father. Hail Mary. Glory be.

The Demidoff Altarpiece: Saint Stephen (1476)
© National Gallery Collection; By kind permission of the Trustees of the National Gallery, London/CORBIS

Saint Stephen Protomartyr

Saint Stephen was a deacon and the first martyr of the Church. We read about him in Chapters Six and Seven in the Acts of the Apostles. He was one of the seven deacons chosen by the apostles for the specific ministry of distribution of food to widows and the poor.

The scriptures refer to him as a man filled with faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:5).

Stephen was well versed in the Hebrew Scriptures. He used them to try to convince others that Jesus was the Messiah, but his efforts were rejected. The angry crowd stoned him to death.