Br. Linus Martz, O.P., on the Feast of St. Stephen

"If today English-speakers still hear about 'the feast of Stephen,' we can probably thank one man: John Mason Neale.This nineteenth-century English churchman and poet once chanced upon the felicitous rhyming of the name 'Stephen' and the adjective 'even.' Thus, we presume, was born 'Good King Wenceslas,' the lively Christmas carol. Thus also was commemorated the liturgical feast of Saint Stephen, whom we celebrate . . . the day after Christmas (For an excellent Dominicana post about the carol, see here).

"Why do Roman Catholics celebrate Stephen . . . the day after Christmas? It seems to make no sense at all."

In a recent commentary, Brother Linus Martz, O.P., reflected on why we celebrate the memory of the first martyr on the day after Christmas..

To access Br. Linus' complete reflection, please visit:

Dominicana: On the Feast of Stephen (26 DEC 23)