St Stephen's Day

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St Stephen's Day Facts & Quotes

• The name Stephen is Greek and in Act 6 of The Bible, it says that Saint Stephen is a Hellenist, which means that he is a foreign-born Jew who spoke Greek.
• The name Stephen (Greek: Stefanos) means crown or wreath.
• There are three major branches of Christianity: Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant. Roman Catholic has approximately 1.2 billion members; Protestant has 800 million and Eastern Orthodox 300 million.
• As they were stoning Stephen, he called out, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, Lord, do not hold this sin against them; and when he said this, he fell asleep. - (Acts of the Apostles, 7:55-60)
• You desire that which exceeds my humble powers, but I trust in the compassion and mercy of the All-powerful God. – Saint Stephen.

St Stephen's Day Top Events and Things to Do

• Hunt a wren (a small bird). This is an old tradition from Ireland where young boys would go out and hunt a wren until they either killed the bird or it died from exhaustion. Once dead it was tied atop a pole or bush and decorated.
• Watch a movie about Christianity. Some of our favourites are: Passion of the Christ (2004), Jesus (1979), and Son of God (2014).
• Visit the statue of St Stephen in Budapest, Hungary. Hungary is one of the largest celebrators of St Stephen’s Day, and every year there is a large celebration held at the St Stephen statue to commemorate him.
• Take part in the Putignano carnival celebration in Italy. It is the oldest carnival in Europe and one in the town where St Stephen’s remains are supposedly housed.
• Spread awareness on social media by using the hashtag #StStephenDay, #Wren Day and #SaintStephen.

St Stephen's Day References and Related Sites