Blood of the martyrs, seed of the Church

Franciscans of the Immaculata during Adoration

"Thursday the 26th, St Stephen's Day.  I (St Paul of the Cross) was in particular uplifting of soul, especially at Holy Communion;  I wanted to go and die a martyr's death in a place where the adorable mystery of the Most Blessed Sacrament is denied.  This wish has been given to me for some time past by the Infinite Goodness, but today I had it in a special manner; I had the desire for the conversion of heretics, especially in England and the neighboring kingdoms, and I offered a special prayer for that at Holy Communion...." 

Fr Edmund, CP

Excerpt from: Hunter of Souls:

A Study of the Life and Spirit

of St Paul of the Cross



“Yesterday we celebrated the birth in time of our eternal King.  Today we celebrate the triumphant suffering of his soldier.  Yesterday our king, clothed in the robe of flesh, left his place in the virgin’s womb and graciously visited the world.  Today his soldier leaves the tabernacle of his body and goes triumphantly to heaven. … And so the love that brought Christ from heaven to earth raised Stephen from earth to heaven; shown first in the king, it later shone forth in his soldier.”  St Fulgentius of Ruspe, bishop

St Stephen

Jerusalem ~  + 35 AD

Protomartyr and Archdeacon

FEAST DAY – Dec 26

St Stephen, ora pro nobis!