While they were stoning Stephen he prayed,
" Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. "
Then he knelt down and cried in a loud voice,
Lord, do not hold this sin against them.
When he said this, he died.
Acts 7:59,60.
The Icon of St. Stephen
St. Stephen's Church Cohasset MA
St Stephen

 
The Icon of Saint Stephen, The Protomartyr.
The 17" x 22" icon of our patron saint was written by D. C. Christopher Gosey and is placed on the west wall of the church on the gospel side. The medium used was egg-based tempera and naturally occurring mineral and earth derived pigments. Some green/gray stones, native to the Cohasset area, were ground and used in painting the brocaded dalmatic that Saint Stephen wears.


  What is an icon?
The Greek word "eikon" literally means "image" and theologically speaking is defined as the word of God depicted through the use of line and color. This is why icons are often said to be written instead of painted.

What then is written in the icon of Saint Stephen?
First of all, the icon tells us that in "God, (the light), we live and move and have our very being" (Acts 17:28) NIV. This is indicated by the icon's gold background. In iconographic parlance, gold is not considered a color or pigment, but is likened to light itself. Since light is the very image of God's splendor, the radiance and luminosity of the icon reminds us of this core Christian belief.
     Secondly, the icon reminds us of symbol of martyrdomour Lord's proclamation that "If anyone would come after me, he must take up his cross and follow me... whoever loses his life for me will find it" (Matt. 16: 24-25)NIV. Saint Stephen, who is the first Christian martyr, holds a hand cross, the traditional symbool of Christian martyrdom. With his hand in an attitude of blessing, Saint Stephen not only blesses us, but also points to God above, the source of all blessings.
     Thirdly, the icon affirms the belief that we are more than conquerors through Christ. Saint Paul says "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither the present nor the future, nor any powers... nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8: 37-39)NIV.
incense     With his left hand, Saint Stephen holds a golden container of incense which indicates his role as deacon as well as symbolizes the collective prayers of the faithful which have been offered to God. By holding this container which bears the heraldic crest of Saint Stephen's Church in Cohasset, he assures the faithful that victory over sin and death is theirs through Christ the source of life. The heraldic crest of Saint Stephen's Church includes the figure of an H signifying a dalmatic, the vestment of a deacon. The three circles indicate the stones by which Stephen was put to death; and the cross represents the faith for which he died.


  The icon was blessed by The Right Reverend M. Thomas Shaw, Bishop of Massachusetts, at the Great Vigil of Easter in the year 1995.
O Lord our God, who created us after your own Image and Likeness; who redeems us from the power of darkness and transfers us into the kingdom of your beloved Son who loves us all and took upon himself the form of a servant and became human; your Saints we honor as being in your Image and Likeness, and we adore and glorify you as our Creator; wherefore we pray you, send forth your blessing upon this Icon in honor and remembrance of your Saint Stephen, the first martyr. And grant that all who gaze upon this Icon may be drawn to things which can be seen only by the eye of faith. Grant that they may find in your radiant glory shining through this Icon a source of grace, peace, mercy and love. This night, O Lord, we sing the praises of your first martyr Stephen who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors, by his example we pray you: strengthen us in our faith. Sanctified and blessed is this Icon of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, by the grace of the Holy Spirit: in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. The Collect for Saint Stephen We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

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St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
16 Highland Ave., Cohasset MA 02025 USA
Tel: 781 383 - 1083

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