St. Stephen's Day (redirected from St Stephen's Day)

St. Stephen's Day

December 26

On this day in c. 35, St. Stephen became the first Christian martyr. The New Testament book of Acts records that Stephen was chosen by the Apostles as one of the first seven deacons of the church in Jerusalem. He was later denounced as a blasphemer by the Sanhedrin, the Jewish council in ancient Palestine, and stoned to death. St. Stephen is the patron saint of bricklayers.
December 26, 27, and 28, otherwise known respectively as St. Stephen's Day, St. John the Evangelist's Day, and Holy Innocents' Day, are considered examples of the three different degrees of martyrdom. St. Stephen's death is an example of the highest class of martyrdom—that is to say, both in will and in deed. St. John the Evangelist, who showed that he was ready to die for Christ but was prevented from actually doing so, exemplifies martyrdom in will, but not in deed. And the children who lost their lives in the slaughter of the Innocents provide an example of the martyrdom in deed but not in will.
In many countries, St. Stephen's Day is celebrated as an extra Christmas holiday. In England, it is known as Boxing Day. In Austria, priests bless the horses because St. Stephen is their patron. In Poland tossing rice at each other symbolizes blessings and recalls Stephen's stoning. And in Ireland, boys with blackened faces carrying a paper wren, go about begging and "hunting the wren." The hunting of the wren is most likely a carryover from an old belief that the robin, symbolizing the New Year, killed the wren, symbolizing the Old, at the turning of the year.
See also San Estevan, Feast of

CONTACTS:
Dingle Peninsula Tourism
Comharchumann Turasoireachta Chorca Dhuibhne
Dingle, County Kerry Ireland
353-66-9151188; fax: 353-66-9151991
www.dingle-peninsula.ie

SOURCES:
BkDays-1864, vol. II, p. 763
BkFest-1937, p. 35
DaysCustFaith-1957, p. 321
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 950
EncyChristmas-2003, p. 686
FestSaintDays-1915, p. 249
FestWestEur-1958, p. 104
FolkAmerHol-1999, p. 540
FolkWrldHol-1999, p. 768
OxYear-1999, p. 532
SaintFestCh-1904, p. 40

Celebration day: Dec 26

Celebrated in: Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, San Marino

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St. Stephen's Day (Hungary)

August 20

Hungary celebrates three national days, according to a 1991 state mandate. The founding of Hungary is commemorated on August 20, which is also the feast day of the founder of the country, St. Stephen of Hungary (c. 975-1038). He assumed the kingship in 1000 and worked to unite the various clans into a single Christian state. In 1950 the day was changed to Constitution Day by the communist regime, but since 1990, it has again celebrated St. Stephen.

CONTACTS:
Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Hungary
Bem rkp. 47 1027 Budapest, Bem rakpart 47
Budapest, H-1027 Hungary
36-1-458-1000; fax: 36-1-212-5918
www.mfa.gov.hu/kum/en/bal

SOURCES:
OxYear-1999, p. 340

Celebration day: Aug 20

Celebrated in: Hungary