St Stephen On-The-Cliffs, Holmfield Road, Blackpool, FY2 9RB Telephone Parish Office: 01253 353894 Email:
Saint Stephen - Our Patron
Saint Stephen is the Protomartyr, or first martyr, of Christianity and is venerated as a saint. He is identified as one of the first deacons chosen by the early church in Acts of the Apostles. The Feast of Saint Stephen is celebrated on December 26 in the Western Church and December 27 in the Eastern Church.
Upon the death of Jesus, Stephen began to work hard to spread what was then called The Way. He preached the teachings of Jesus and participated in the conversion of Jews and Gentiles. Acts tells the story of how Stephen was tried by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy and was then stoned to death by an infuriated mob encouraged by Saul of Tarsus, the future Saint Paul [1].
Saint Stephen is traditionally invested with a crown of martyrdom for Christianity and is often depicted in art with three stones and the martyrs' palm. In Eastern Christian iconography he is shown as a young beardless man with a tonsure, wearing deacon's vestments, and often holding a miniature church building and censer.
Extract from the litany of Saint Stephen
And they stoned Stephen, invoking and saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And falling on his knees he cried with a loud voice, saying: Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep in the Lord.
Grant to us, we beseech Thee, O Lord, so to imitate what we revere that we may learn to love even our enemies: for we celebrate him who could even plead on behalf of his persecutors with Thy Son Our Lord Jesus Christ. Who with Thee and the Holy Spirit livest and reignest God, world without end
Saints, Solemnities & Feasts in September
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■1 Giles of Provence, Hermit, c.710
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■2 The Martyrs of Papua New Guinea, 1901 and 1942
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■3 Gregory the Great, Bishop of Rome, Teacher of the Faith, 604
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■4 Birinus, Bishop of Dorchester (Oxon), Apostle of Wessex, 650
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■6 Allen Gardiner, Missionary, Founder of the South American Mission Society, 1851
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■9 Charles Fuge Lowder, Priest, 1880
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■13 John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople, Teacher of the Faith, 407
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■14 Holy Cross Day
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■15 Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Martyr, 258
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■16 Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts, c.432
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■16 Edward Bouverie Pusey, Priest, Tractarian, 1882
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■19 Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690
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■20 John Coleridge Patteson, First Bishop of Melanesia, and his Companions, Martyrs, 1871
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■25 Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester, Spiritual Writer, 1626
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■25 Sergei of Radonezh, Russian Monastic Reformer, Teacher of the Faith, 1392
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■26 Wilson Carlile, Founder of the Church Army, 1942
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■27 Vincent de Paul, Founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists), 1660
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■30 Jerome, Translator of the Scriptures, Teacher of the Faith, 420
Alternative dates:
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■Cuthbert may be celebrated on 4 September instead of 20 March.
Parish Clergy: Vicar, Canon Andrew Sage
