St Stephen - Our Patron Saint

🕊 Who was St Stephen?

St Stephen was one of the very first followers of Jesus. He lived just after Jesus had gone back to Heaven. The apostles (Jesus’ closest friends) chose Stephen to help them share God’s love and care for others.

He was known for being kind, wise, and full of faith. Stephen was one of the first seven deacons — special helpers in the early Church who looked after people in need, especially the poor.

💖 What did St Stephen do?

• He helped people who were hungry or poor.

• He taught others about Jesus and showed great courage when he spoke about his faith.

• He forgave those who were unkind to him, just like Jesus did.

Stephen loved God so much that he was willing to keep speaking the truth about Jesus, even when others didn’t want to listen.

✝️ What happened to St Stephen?

Some people didn’t like what Stephen was saying about Jesus and grew angry. They hurt him because of his faith — which is why we call him the first Christian martyr (someone who dies for their belief in God).

As Stephen was dying, he prayed,

“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
This shows how loving and forgiving he was, even at a difficult time.

🌈 What can we learn from St Stephen?

St Stephen teaches us to:

• 💬 Speak the truth with courage, even when it’s hard.

• ❤️ Care for others, especially those in need.

• 🙏 Forgive people, just like Jesus forgave.

• 🌟 Stay strong in our faith, trusting that God is always with us.

🕯 Feast Day:

26th December – the day after Christmas!
On this day, we remember St Stephen’s kindness, courage, and love for God.

🛐 A short prayer to St Stephen:

Dear St Stephen,
Help us to be brave and kind like you.
Teach us to forgive and to help others.
Pray for us so that we can grow in faith and love.
Amen.