DEVOTION TO ST. STEPHEN THE PROTOMARTYR
(Every 26th day of the Month)
HYMN
Awit ki San Esteban
Dayupot na disipulo ni Kristong
Kagurangnan
Bakong dahas an saimong panlaban
ata ngani maski ka ginaradan Pagkamoot
an saimong linadawan.
Chorus 1
Señor San Esteban
Ladawan ka nin kabanalan
Sa inabot mong kasakitan
Kami tinawan mong aarogan.
Pira pa kaya sa ngoyan an arog na
kaisipan,
na kun nagigibong karahayan,
pinapakaraot, alagad pagkamoot iyo an
kabalsan.
Chorus 2
Señor San Esteban
Kami saima man na tabangan
Herasan mo man kami kan salmong
kabanalan Maskingani ini umabot pa sa kagadanan.
SIGN OF THE CROSS
Leader: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
All: Amen.
(N.B. Prayer Every Month – see the Monthly Prayers followed by A prayer to St. Stephen for Assistance, the Litany and the Closing Prayer)
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
1st Month – 26th of January
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: O glorious St. Stephen,
first Martyr for the Faith,
filled with compassion for those who invoke you,
with love for those who suffer, heavily laden with the weight of my troubles.
I kneel at your feet and humbly beg you to take
my present needs under your special protection.
Vouchsafe to recommend it to our Lord Jesus.
Cease not to intercede for me until my request is granted.
Above all, obtain for me the grace to one day meet God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the angels and saints praise Him through all eternity.
O most powerful Saint Stephen, Deacon and Martyr, do not let me lose my soul, but obtain for me the grace of winning my way to heaven.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
2nd Month – 26th of February
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Saint Stephen, whom we have chosen as our special patron, pray for us that we, too, may one day glorify the Blessed Trinity in heaven. Obtain for us your lively faith, that we may consider all persons, things, and events in the light of almighty God. Pray, that we may be generous in making sacrifices of temporal things to promote our eternal interests, as you so wisely did.
Set us on fire with a love for Jesus, that we may thirst for
His sacraments and burn with zeal for the spread of His kingdom. By your powerful intercession, help us in the performance of our duties to God, ourself and all the world.
Protect us this day, and every day of our life. Keep us from mortal sin. Obtain for us the grace of a happy death.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
3rd Month – 26th of March
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in choosing to devote himself to Your service as a deacon in the early Church.
St. Stephen, you were chosen by the Apostles to serve the Church as one of the first deacons. You served God faithfully in this role.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so faithfully!
You tended to the material needs of the poor in the Church, and you worked to lead others closer to God. Your holy work did a lot of good for the early Church.
Pray for me, that I may always be eager to serve God and His Church. Pray that I may never hesitate to do all I can to answer God’s call in my life.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
4th Month – 26th of April
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in his important work for your early Church.
St. Stephen, you were one of the first deacons of the early Church. You did a lot of important work for the early Church, out of love for God.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you loved so dearly!
As you worked to serve the poor and assist with the material needs of the less fortunate in the Church, you helped give the Apostles more time to devote to preaching and administering sacraments.
Pray for me, that I may always do all I can to serve God in whatever roles He might call me to. Pray that I may be as devoted a servant of God and His Church as you were.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
5th Month – 26th of May
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in working to provide for the needs of the poor in the early Church.
St. Stephen, you were chosen by the Apostles to serve the Church as one of the first deacons. In this role, you worked to provide for the material needs of the poor. You did all you could to carry out this work faithfully.
Please do all you can to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You did a lot of important work for the early Church. Your care for the poor contributed to the growth and strength of the early Church.
Pray for me, that I may always be conscious of the needs of those around me. Pray that I may be eager to serve God through charitable service to my brothers and sisters in Christ.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
6th Month – 26th of June
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in his openness to the Holy Spirit.
St. Stephen, you did a lot of important work for the early Church. The Acts of the Apostles says that you were full of faith and that the Holy Spirit was in you, as you continued to carry out your holy work.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
Your openness to the Holy Spirit allowed God to work miracles through you. These works helped bring many others to conversion.
Pray for me, that I may grow in openness to the workings of the Holy Spirit in my life. Pray that I may allow God to use me as His instrument each day.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
7th Month – 26th of July
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in holding fast to his Faith amidst persecution.
St. Stephen, you were one of the first deacons in the early Church. Christians were facing a lot of persecution during your time as a deacon, but you persevered in your Faith.
Please persevere in bringing my petitions before the throne of God!
Those you bested in religious debate were determined to put a stop to the holy work you were doing for the Church. After you rebuked them publicly, your enemies stoned you to death.
Pray for me, that I may never allow any difficulties to deter me from practicing my Faith. Pray that I may never waver in my Faith, no matter the cost.
Please also pray for… (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
8th Month – 26th of August
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the love of You he showed through his deep trust in You.
St. Stephen, you did a lot of important work for the early Church. There were many enemies of Christ seeking to stop this holy work, but you did not waver in your trust or commitment to God.
Please do not waver in bringing my petitions before God!
Even when you were brought before the Sanhedrin on charges of blasphemy, you were not disturbed or worried. You placed your trust in God and held fast to your Faith.
Pray for me, that I may grow in trust in God each day. Pray that I may never waver in my Faith, no matter what difficulties I might face.
Please also pray for… (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
9th Month – 26th of September
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the virtue he showed in courageously holding fast to his Faith to the point of death.
St. Stephen, you served the Church faithfully as one of the first deacons. Though the enemies of the Church were persecuting Christians, you courageously continued your holy work.
Please continue to bring my petitions before the throne of God!
You boldly rebuked your persecutors for their evil actions. Even when you were carried from the city to be stoned, you courageously held fast to your Faith and your trust in God.
Pray for me, that I may be as courageous in practicing my Faith as you were. Pray that I may never allow any sufferings I might face to deter me from serving God.
Please also pray for … (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
10th Month – 26th of October
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the love of You he showed in choosing to follow Your example by asking for forgiveness for his persecutors.
St. Stephen, your rebukes to the Sanhedren enraged them so much that they carried you from the city to stone you. Even at the point of death, you did all you could to help bring others to God.
Please do all you can to bring my petitions before God!
Your last words before death were a prayer asking Jesus to receive your soul and a prayer asking for forgiveness for your killers.
Pray for me, that I may always be forgiving of all who hurt me. Pray that I may always seek to forgive others even when it is most difficult, out of love for God.
Please also pray for… (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
11th Month – 26th of November
Leader: Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us St. Stephen as an example of holiness.
All: Help us to imitate the devotion to You he showed in serving Your Church faithfully as one of the first deacons.
St. Stephen, you were chosen by the Apostles to be one of the first deacons of the early Church. You served God faithfully in this role and did a lot of important work for the Church.
Please bring my petitions before God Whom you served so faithfully!
Your holy work helped bring many into the Church. Your assistance to the Apostles helped enable them to devote themselves to preaching and priestly ministry.
Pray for me, that I may always be open to serving God and His Church in whatever ways He calls me to. Pray that I may be as devoted a servant of God as you were.
Please also pray for… (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
PRAYER FOR EVERY MONTH
12th Month – 26th of December – FEAST DAY
The 12 Stars of Virtue in St. Stephen, Protomartyr’s crown
In every virtue of St. Stephen our response (ℜ): St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Holy Faith
Leader: O Lord give me the boldness of holy faith, to preach with the energy of apostolic fervor. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Hope
Leader: O Lord enable us like St. Stephen to cling to hope in a life wrought with trouble, labor, suffering and persecution. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Charity
Leader: O Lord, give us the graces to make the greatest and purest acts of love, that is those actions of total sacrifice for the souls of others. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Meekness
Leader: O Lord, give us a humility, the great virtue to remedy pride, the source of all sin and help us develop a tranquility of our soul. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Prayer
Leader: O Lord, enable us to remain calm and wrap in devotion, always praying foremost for others. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Devotion to Jesus
Leader: O Lord, may we glorify Your Name and spread the work of Your Kingdom here on earth. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Vocation
O Lord, give us a holy fidelity to execute the duties of our state in life. ℜ.
- Zeal
Leader: O Lord, give us a zeal to practice all the virtues that others may see the shining countenance within us as we faithfully bear our struggles. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Friendship
Leader: O Lord, give us a heroic love for our neighbor, including those who dismiss or persecute us. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Love of Enemies
Leader: O Lord, help us to pardon our enemies and persecutors. For we are taught by our Lord, “forgive them for they know not what they do.” ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Intrepidity
Leader: O Lord, as we face those that oppose the work of the Church, let us show no trace of fear or cowardice. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
- Fidelity
Leader: O Lord, help us to sacrifice our lives and persevere until the end as a testimony of our faith. ℜ. St. Stephen, Protomartyr pray for us.
Let us pray:
Almighty God, may every Christian heart, while reflecting upon St. Stephen’s glorious martyrdom, feel comforted and strengthened by these resolutions. May we follow St. Stephen’s example by the practice of all those virtues whose merit shines so brilliantly in his crown of victory. Let us strive during our whole life to practice these virtues with the same zeal as St. Stephen did, that we may someday merit as bright stars in our crown of recompense, which our Lord will one day reward us with in heaven!
Please also pray for… (mention your intentions here).
One Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory…
Leader: St. Stephen,
All: Pray for us!
A Prayer to St. Stephen for Assistance
O Glorious St. Stephen,
first of the martyrs,
for the sake of Christ
you gave up your life
in testimony of the
truth of His divine teaching.
Obtain for us,
dear St. Stephen,
the faith, the hope, the love
and the courage of martyrs.
When we are tempted to shirk our duty,
or deny our faith,
come to our assistance
as a shining example
of the courage of martyrs,
and win for us a love like your own.
We ask it of you
for the honor of Jesus Christ,
our Lord who is model
and reward of all martyrs.
Amen.
THE LITANY OF ST. STEPHEN
Leader: Lord, have mercy on us
All: Lord, have mercy on us
Leader: Christ, have mercy on us
All: Christ, have mercy on us
Leader: Lord, have mercy on us,
All: Lord, have mercy on us,
Leader: Christ, hear us,
All: Christ, hear us,
Leader: Christ, graciously hear us.
All: Christ, graciously hear us.
Leader: God, the Father of heaven,
All: have mercy on us.
Leader: God, the Son, Redeemer of the world,
All: have mercy on us.
Leader: God, the Holy Spirit,
All: have mercy on us.
Leader: St. Stephen, first martyr,
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, who suffered for preaching the name of Jesus Christ,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, who so closely imitated Jesus Christ in that great virtue of charity for your enemies,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, who, when stoned by your enemies, cast forth sparks, not of anger, but of love, to set on fire their hearts, harder than the stones which they threw,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, having recommended your own soul to God, cried for your enemies, Pardon them, O Lord, and punish them not for their sins,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, most zealous for the glory of God,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, most patient and constant,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, pattern of chastity and purity,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, whose heavenly fortitude caused admiration in all,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, by whom so many miracles were wrought,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, who, in the love of God, was not inferior to the Apostles themselves,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, who converted many to the faith of Christ,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, by whom the Church has received and does continually receive such singular benefits,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, of whom it is said, that the Holy Spirit, Who inhabited your soul, shone and darted forth his rays into your body,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, whose face shone like that of an angel,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, an angel in chastity,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,*
All: pray for us. *
Leader: St. Stephen, dear to the heart of Jesus,*
All: pray for us. *
CLOSING PRAYER
O glorious saint, faithful imitator of Jesus Christ martyr in will and in reality, so full of charity, zeal, love, and purity, deign to intercede for us poor exiles; you who are so high in the favor of God, we do entreat you to procure for us a little spark of that divine love which animated your heart, that we too one day may have the happiness of seeing our God face to face.
Oh! obtain for us that virtue for which you were so eminent, and which in our holy vocation is particularly required–Charity. Amen
