Overview
- Italy observes December 26 as a public holiday, instituted in 1949 to extend the Christmas period.
- According to the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen was the first of seven deacons, was tried by the Sanhedrin, and was stoned, which is why he is called the protomartyr.
- Scholars note uncertainties about the account’s historicity and timing, pointing to Roman execution norms and suggesting possibilities such as a lynching or a later date.
- Stephen’s cult spread from the fifth century through the circulation of purported relics, with several Roman churches claiming parts of his skull and limbs.
- Regional practices differ, with Catalonia celebrating Sant Esteve on December 26 and Serbia venerating Stephen nationally while the Serbian Orthodox Church marks his feast on January 9 under the Julian calendar.