Saint Stephen the First Martyr

Orthodox icon of Saint Stephen the First Martyr on thick plywood 20mm, which does not sting and keeps its shape over time. Preparation with acrylic stucco and have been used acrylic colors. It has been covered with varnish to keep the colors undiluted in time and humidity. Hanging clip included on the back of the icon.

Stephen was the first and most distinguished of the seven deacons, who had been elected and ordained by the apostles to help the poor, orphans and widows with common meals and by any other means. He was distinguished for his oratorical ability and his generally Christian activity. The Jews, seeing his activity and fearing his action, ordered him to stop preaching. He ignored them and continued to preach the Word of God. Then, some intolerant Jews slandered him for blaspheming God, Solomon’s Temple and the prophet Moses. With this accusation he was arrested and dragged before the Jewish Congress to apologize and be tried. Stephen courageously defended his faith and accused the Jews of being cruel to the prophets, whom they killed, as well as to all God’s people, while arguing for the divinity of Christ. All Stephen managed to do was further enrage his accusers, who seized him from the Council chamber and led him out of Jerusalem, where they began stoning him. Stephanos calmly accepted the stoning with the words “Lord Jesus, receive the spirit of mind” and kneeling he prayed for his persecutors, saying: “Lord, do not impute this sin to them”. Immediately afterwards he gave up his spirit. His memory is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on December 27, the finding of his remains on September 15, and the retrieval on August 2. The Western Churches (Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran) commemorate him on December 26.