Armenian church commemorates St. Stephen the Protomartyr
The Armenian Apostolic Church on Tuesday commemorates St. Stephen, the first deacon and proto martyr.
After Christ’s ascension, the apostles went about spreading the Word. It soon became apparent that more people were needed to serve the growing church community. Seven worthy individuals were called upon to serve the Holy Altar and called “deacons” (sarkavag).
The most noteworthy of the seven was Stephen, described as a “man full of faith and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 6:5). The Feast of St. Stephen is a popular and important commemoration in the Armenian church; it is a day to honor all deacons of the church. Stephen became the first martyr of the church and is therefore called the “proto martyr.” The only information about his life and death is in the Book of Acts of the Apostles (Acts 6:8 and 8:2).