Saint Stephen(c. AD 5–36) is venerated as the first Christian martyr, or protomartyr. A Hellenistic Jew, he was appointed one of the first deacons of the early Church in Jerusalem and became known for his preaching and public witness to Christ.

According to the Acts of the Apostles, Stephen delivered a lengthy defence before the Sanhedrin, interpreting Israel’s history as a prefiguration of Christ and condemning the resistance of religious authorities to divine revelation. He was subsequently condemned and executed by stoning outside Jerusalem during the rule of Herod Antipas. His death established Stephen as the prototype of Christian martyrdom and made him a central figure in early Christian memory and later art.