The Feast of Saint Stephen the First Martyr at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

On Tuesday, December 27, 2023/January 9, 2024, the feast of the Holy First Martyr Stephen was celebrated at the place of his stoning in Gethsemane and the Holy Church bearing his name.

On this day, the Church remembers that the First Martyr Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, one of the seven deacons, was brought before the Synod and confessed Christ our God in a divine vision, and for this, he was led outside the walls of the Holy City and stoned. While he prayed for those who were stoning him, a young man named Saul was guarding their clothes.

The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Eminence Archbishop Aristoboulos of Madaba, along with the Elder Kamarasis Archimandrite Nektarios, the Priest of the Beer Sheba Community Fr. Alexandros, Priest Nektarios and Hierodeacon Anastasios. The chanting was delivered by John and monk Joseph of Mount Athos and of the choir of the Beer Sheba Community in Russian, Arabic, and Romanian.

The Liturgy was followed by the litany and the prayer at the spot of the stoning of the holy First Martyr Stephen.

After the Divine Liturgy, the good Carer and Hegoumen of the Monastery, Archimandrite Epiphanios, offered refreshments to the Episcopal Entourage and the congregation in the rectory and the forecourt of the Holy Monastery.

From Secretariat-General

Source: Patriarchate of Jerusalem