The holy apostle Stephen was a relative of Saul, later apostle Paul. No information about his life, his conversion to Christ, or the circumstances of his conversion has survived. We have only a brief account in the Book of Acts of the Apostles of Stephen's apostolic labors, his suffering, and his martyrdom when he was already about thirty years old. At this time, murmurings arose among the Christians of the Jerusalem Church. These murmurs arose among the so-called "Hellenists"—Jews of the Diaspora, so named because, born and raised in pagan lands, they spoke Greek or Hellenic, the language then common throughout the Roman Empire. The Hellenists complained that their elderly widows, cared for by Christians in Jerusalem, were poorly maintained and suffered from want of everything. Then the apostles, having gathered the faithful, declared that it was not fitting for them, the apostles, to abandon their ministry to the word of God to tend the widows' table, and that for this purpose they should choose from among the believers seven men filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. This proposal of the holy apostles pleased everyone and was accepted by the assembly of the faithful, and consequently, seven proven, virtuous men were chosen to care for the Christian widows cared for by the Church, headed by St. Stephen, one of the seventy apostles. The holy apostles ordained these chosen ones as deacons, and St. Stephen, filled with great faith and spiritual strength, was the first of them, for which reason he was called archdeacon.
The seven men chosen by the apostles were not merely treasurers of the Christian community, charged with overseeing the maintenance of Christian widows and providing assistance to poor Christians. They also had other, more significant responsibilities: they participated alongside the apostles in spreading the Gospel and, in general, were their closest assistants. Among them, St. Stephen stood out in particular; filled with faith and power, he boldly preached Christ crucified and performed great signs and wonders in His name. All this aroused the anger and rage of fanatical Jews against Stephen. They sought an opportunity to disgrace him and, at every opportunity, engaged him in public debates over matters of faith. But they themselves suffered defeat and disgrace in this: enlightened by the Holy Spirit, Stephen spoke with such compelling persuasiveness that the Jews ceased their dispute in shame. Unable to argue with Stephen themselves, they incited the crowd against him in their anger, seized him, and brought him before the high priests and elders. They produced false witnesses who accused Stephen of blaspheming the Law of Moses and the Temple of Jerusalem. The charge was grave. The gaze of all those present in the assembly involuntarily turned to where the defendant stood. But looking at him, they saw his face as that of an angel. The grace of God, which filled Stephen's soul at that moment, was reflected on his face with a heavenly light; he looked like a being of heaven. Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Is this so?" To this question, Stephen, inspired by the grace of Christ, responded with an inspired speech in which he forcefully denounced the unbelieving Jews. First, in his defense, he recalled before the judges the history of God's people, beginning with his forefather Abraham and ending with Solomon, who, by God's command, built the temple in Jerusalem. "But the Most High," Stephen continued with inspiration, "dwells not in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: 'Heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.' What kind of house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what place is My resting place? Has not My hand made all this? (see Psalm 67:1, 2 )? Stiff-necked! Men uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you! Which of the prophets did not your fathers persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the feast, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, Whom you have now become traitors and murderers—you, who received the law ministered to by angels and have not kept it." After these words, Stephen could no longer expect mercy from the embittered Jews. Their hearts were torn with anger as they listened to him, and they gnashed their teeth at him. Then the Lord blessed him to strengthen the holy apostle's courage with a heavenly vision. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen saw the heavens open and the Lord Jesus, in the form of the Son of Man, standing at his right hand.God. Stephen was not afraid to confess this vision before his raging enemies—the judges. "Behold," he cried out loudly, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" After this, the Jews no longer restrained their rage. Shouting loudly, they covered their ears and rushed at him with one accord. As if he were a blasphemer, they led him out of the city and, bringing him to the Valley of Josaphat, located between the Mount of Olives and Jerusalem, began to stone him. So that his outer garments would not hinder them from throwing stones at the holy first martyr of Christ, the murderers removed them and gave them to his relative, the young man Saul, to guard. This future chief apostle of Christ, Paul, still zealous for the Old Law and a hater of Christians with all his soul, guarded the garments of his relative's murderers at his feet, seethed with rage against him, and encouraged the murderers to kill St. Archdeacon Stephen. In the distance, on the Mount of Olives, the Most Pure Mother of God stood on a stone with St. John the Theologian, and, beholding St. Stephen's martyrdom, she fervently prayed for him to her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that He would strengthen the holy martyr in patience and receive his soul with peace and love. Showered with stones, St. Stephen saw the Lord Jesus in the heavens gazing upon his death, and with patience he surrendered himself to the will of God. Throughout his suffering, he fervently prayed to God until, finally, the moment of death arrived. In terrible suffering, covered in blood, the holy first martyr of Christ cried out, "Lord Jesus! Receive my spirit!" and, kneeling, he loudly offered his final prayer to the Lord, a prayer for his murderers: "Lord! Do not impute this sin to them!" With this prayer on his lips, he commended his holy soul to God. Thus, the holy apostle and archdeacon Stephen was the first to receive the crown of martyrdom for Christ, which is why he is called the first martyr. He was ordained archdeacon by the holy apostles shortly after the feast of the Descent of the Holy Spirit and received his martyrdom that same year, on December 27.
The murderers of the holy protomartyr Stephen threw his body to be devoured by wild beasts and birds, and it lay unburied all day and night. But on the second night, the renowned Jewish teacher of the law, Gamaliel—who, along with his son Aviv, believed in Christ and later preached Him as an apostle, canonized by the Lord—sent faithful men to secretly take the relics of St. Stephen to his village of Caphargamala, twenty stadia from Jerusalem, and there to honorably bury them, placing them in a cave in his new tomb.
Many years after the death of the holy first martyr Stephen, Queen Eudokia, wife of the Greek Emperor Theodosius the Younger, visited Jerusalem and erected a beautiful church in the name of the holy archdeacon Stephen on the spot where the holy first martyr of Christ was once stoned, on the ground stained with his holy blood.
In the fourth century, the incorrupt relics of the holy Protomartyr Stephen were discovered, along with the relics of St. Nicodemus, St. Gamaliel, and his son, St. Aviv. This occurred in the following way. One day, a venerable man calling himself Gamaliel appeared to the priest Lucian in a dream and commanded him to seek the blessing of Archbishop John of Jerusalem to uncover the relics of St. Stephen, the first martyr of Christ, himself, Gamaliel, his son Aviv, and St. Nicodemus, which were in the ground. Lucian, waking up, hesitated to follow this vision, not knowing whether it was from God or not. He remained in fasting and prayer, awaiting guidance from above. After this, Gamaliel appeared to Lucian again in a dream and reproached him for not believing him and for delaying in fulfilling his word. This continued three times. Then the priest believed the vision and, giving thanks to God, went to Jerusalem to Archbishop John, to whom he related his threefold vision. The archbishop wept with joy and blessed Lucian to find the place where the relics of the saints lay. Upon returning, Lucian wanted to dig up a burial mound in the area, thinking that the relics of the saints rested there. But that night, Gamaliel appeared in a dream to a certain monk, Nugetios, commanding him to tell Lucian that they were not buried there, and indicating the place of his burial. At the place Gamaliel had indicated to Nugetios in his dream, Priest Lucian began digging and found a narrow passage leading to a cave, in which he saw the relics of the saints. He immediately informed Archbishop John, who, with two other bishops, hastened to the cave. As soon as the tomb of the saint was opened, When the relics of St. Stephen, the first martyr, were uncovered, the earth shook, angelic singing was heard, and a fragrance filled the entire cave. A large crowd gathered, and all the sick were healed by the relics of St. Stephen. After this, the relics of St. Stephen were removed from the cave and reverently transferred to Jerusalem and placed in the church amid great celebration and a multitude of people. The uncovering of the relics of St. Stephen is celebrated by the Church on September 15.
Subsequently, the incorrupt relics of the holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen were transferred to Constantinople. Thus pleased the Lord, Who miraculously arranged this. A pious man named Alexander, who served in the imperial synod, arrived from Constantinople to Jerusalem with his wife, Juliana, to venerate the holy places. He died there, and on his deathbed, he bequeathed to his wife that his body be placed in a reliquary, similar in every way to the reliquary of St. Stephen, for whom he had fervent faith, and that this reliquary be placed next to St. Stephen's in the newly built church dedicated to him. Juliana fulfilled her husband's will, but later planned to return to Constantinople. Unwilling to part with her husband's precious remains, she asked the emperor for permission to take his body and transport it back to Constantinople. But by God's will, she was mistaken. When the earth was excavated where the reliquaries containing the relics of St. Stephen and the body of Alexander lay side by side, Juliana mistakenly took the relics of St. Stephen with her. During the journey from Jerusalem to Constantinople, many signs and wonders revealed to Juliana that she was carrying not her husband's body, but the relics of St. Stephen. However, the pious woman, seeing in this the will of God, continued to carry them to Constantinople. As she sailed on the ship, a terrible storm arose and threatened to sink it. At this moment, St. Stephen appeared to everyone and said, "Fear not, I am with you." The saint became invisible, and the storm ceased. That night, an extraordinary light appeared over the relics of St. Stephen, and a fragrance emanated from the reliquary. During this journey, many healings also occurred at the reliquary containing the incorrupt relics of the saint of God. Upon arriving in Constantinople, Juliana immediately informed the emperor and patriarch of all that had happened and of the arrival of the relics of St. Stephen the Protomartyr. Everyone was filled with joy. The patriarch and all his clergy, accompanied by vast crowds of people, went to the docks to meet the relics of Christ's Protomartyr. The holy relics were reverently carried from the ship, placed on a royal chariot, and conveyed to the royal palace with the singing of psalms and church hymns. Numerous healings and miracles occurred from the holy relics. During this solemn procession, St. Stephen miraculously indicated the place where his relics were to be laid. On this spot, the emperor ordered a spacious stone church to be built in honor of the Holy Protomartyr and Archdeacon Stephen and his incorrupt relics to be enshrined there.
The transfer of the relics of St. Stephen from Jerusalem to Constantinople is celebrated by the Church on August 2.
Currently, the right hand of the relics of the Holy Protomartyr Stephen is located in the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, in the so-called Serapion Tent, adjacent to the Trinity Cathedral.
Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Istorija_Tserkvi/zhizn-i-trudy-apostolov/25