De sancto Stephano papa
The Persecution of Pope Stephen
Pope Stephen and his clergy are targeted by the imperial authorities under Valerian and Gallienus.
After Pope Stephen had converted many Gentiles through his preaching and example, and had buried the bodies of many holy martyrs, he was hunted down relentlessly by Valerian and Gallienus in the year 260, so they could force him and his clergy to offer sacrifice or punish them with various tortures. They issued an edict stating that anyone who betrayed them would receive all their property. Because of this, ten of his clergy were seized and beheaded without a trial.
The Martyrdom of the Faithful Shepherd
Pope Stephen miraculously survives a confrontation at the temple of Mars before being martyred while celebrating Mass.
The following day, Pope Stephen was captured and led to the temple of Mars, so that he might either worship the idol there or face the death penalty. But when he had entered the temple and prayed to God to destroy it, a large part of the temple immediately collapsed, and the entire crowd fled in great fear, while he himself went on to the cemetery of Saint Lucy. Hearing this, Valerian sent more soldiers than before to him; they found him celebrating Mass and, while he was standing there fearlessly and devoutly finishing what he had begun, they beheaded him in his chair.
Read the original Latin
Stephanus papa cum multos gentilium verbo et exemplo converlisset el multa corpora sanctorum martirum sepelitsset, a Valeriano et Gallieno anno domini CCLX summo studio perquiritur, ut eum et clericos ant sacrificare cogerent aut suppliciis diversis punirent. Dederuntque edictum, ut, quicunque eos proderet, totam eorum substantiam possideret. Quapropter decem de cjus clericis comprehensi sunt et sine audientia decollati. Sequenti die Stephanus papa comprehenditur et ad templum Martis ducitur, ut ibi aut ydolum adoraret aut capitalem sententiam subiret. Sed cum templum ingressus fuisset et Deum, ut ipsum templum destrueret, exorasset, statim magna pars templi corruit et omnis multitudo prae nimio timore aufugit, ipse vero ad cimiterium sanctae Luciae perrexit. Quod audiens Valerianus milites plures prioribus ad eum misit, qui venientes eum missam celebrantem invenerunt et stantem intrepidum ac incepta devote perficientem in sua sede decollaverunt.
The Golden Legend (Legenda Aurea) companion
Continue through all 240 chapters, one saint a day
Chosen Portion serves the Golden Legend as a daily portion on iOS, free, alongside the full Sub Rosa archive
The Legenda Aurea was organized for day-by-day use across the liturgical year, and Chosen Portion restores that original one-feast-per-day reading rhythm
- A complete saint's life or feast reading most days in 5-10 minutes
- 240 chapters - enough daily readings to cover a full liturgical year and beyond
- Daily reminders so the plan survives busy weeks