Saint Stephen is the first Christian martyr of the first century. In the Acts of the Apostles, written by Saint Luke, the Evangelist, his faith and martyrdom is described.
In the days after the Ascension and Pentecost, the numbers of disciples grew so large that the apostles had no time to concentrate on prayer and the ministry of the Word. So they assembled the community and told them to choose seven men to be deacons. These deacons were to control the distribution of alms, food and property, and some of the spiritual needs of the community.
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