St. Stephen's
story is told in the Acts of the Apostles (6;7:55-60). Accused of speaking
blasphemous words against the God of Moses, he was taken before the Sanhedrin.
His accusers, incensed at hearing him assert that he saw "the heavens opened,
and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God" (7:56), expel him
from the town and stone him. Stephen is always depicted as a young man without
a beard. He wears the deacon's dalmatic and stole and holds Gospels in his
hands. He also carries - in his hands, balanced on his head or placed on
a book - one or more stones alluding to his death. |
