The Stephens
Today is the feast of St. Stephen, King of Hungary, who lived from 967-1038 A.D. Since I had a Hungarian grandmother, I was raised with an interest in this saint. :) My great-grandfather, grandfather, uncle and brother were/are all named Stephen.
I don't have a picture of St. Stephen of Hungary, but here's his namesake, the first St. Stephen. I took this photo in the church of St. Trophime, in Arles, France. This Saint Stephen, of course, was the first Christian martyr. He was one of the deacons who helped the Apostles.
Remember St. Paul, before his conversion, held the cloaks of those who stoned Saint Stephen? The prayers and example of the first St. Stephen contributed to the conversion of one of the greatest missionaries the Church has ever known!
Today's Stephen - St. Stephen I of Hungary - was crowned king by Pope Sylvester II on Christmas Day, 1000 A.D. He offered his crown (which is still in existence) to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Sadly, his children all died in childhood, except for one son, who became Saint Emeric. Saint Stephen, who expected his son to succeed him, wrote out ten chapters of admonitions for Emeric. One part read:
"If you wish honor of kingship, be peace-loving. Rule over all without anger, pride, or hatred, but with love, tenderness, humanity. Remember always that each one of us has the same standing: nothing exalts a man but humility; nothing humiliates more than haughtiness and hatred... Peace loving monarchs rule, the rest only tyrannize. Be patient toward all, influential and destitute alike."
I found this quote in The Spirit of Hungary: A Panorama of Hungarian History and Culture by Stephen Sisa. (Ha! Another Stephen!)
Unfortunately, Saint Emeric, the 24-year-old prince, was killed by a wild boar while hunting on this day in 1031. He is considered a shining example of chastity and youthful virtue. Interestingly, Amerigo Vespucci, the mapmaker from whose name "America" was derived, had actually been named after St. Emeric of Hungary at his baptism. I wonder how many people think of the Americas as having been named after Saint Emeric, the son of St. Stephen of Hungary! :)
And while we're on the subject of Stephens and the naming of our country, I came across this interesting article about the first recorded use of the name "United States of America" -- by another Stephen!
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