E03605: Augustine of Hippo delivers a Latin sermon either at the feast of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) or at the translation of his relics to Hippo Regius (North Africa). He claims that the body of Stephen is deposited in many places, refers to dust (pulvis) which attracts people to the church in which he is preaching, and expresses his belief that miracles will occur in this place. Sermon 317, preached between 425 and 430, most probably in Hippo.

Augustine of Hippo, Sermon 317

[De Stephano martyre

'On the martyr Stephen']


1. Martyr Stephanus, beatus et primus post apostolos ab apostolis diaconus ordinatus, ante apostolos coronatus; illas terras passus illustrauit, istas mortuus uisitauit. Sed mortuus non uisitaret, nisi et mortuus uiueret. Exiguus puluis tantum populum congregauit: cinis latet, beneficia patent. Cogitate, charissimi, quae nobis Deus seruet in regione uiuorum, qui tanta praestat de puluere mortuorum. Caro sancti Stephani per loca singula diffamatur: sed fidei eius meritum commendatur. Sic exspectemus consequi temporalia beneficia, ut eum imitando accipere mereamur aeterna. Quod nobis beatus martyr imitandum in sua passione proposuit, hoc attendere, hoc credere, hoc implere, uere est solemnia martyris celebrare.

'The blessed martyr Stephen, the first after the apostles to be ordained deacon by the apostles, and crowned before the apostles, shed luster on those lands when he suffered, and now that he is dead has come to visit these lands. Such a small quantity of dust has assembled such a big congregation here; the ashes can't be seen; the favours received are visibly evident. Imagine, dearly beloved, what God must be keeping for us in the land of the living, if he grants us such favours from the dust of the dead. The flesh of Saint Stephen is widely known in several particular places, but it is the merit of his faith that is being commended to us. Let our hope and expectation of receiving temporal benefits be such, that we may deserve, by imitating that faith, to receive eternal ones. To pay attention to what the blessed martyr set before us in his passion for our imitation, to believe this, that is the true way to celebrate the martyr's feast.'


In what follows Augustine compares the martyrdom of Stephen to that of Christ and asks his audience to imitate both examples, admitting that Stephen is easier to follow, as a lamp is easier to look at than the sun. The sermon ends with the following words:

6. ... Sancti ergo Stephani natalem celebremus et cum debita ueneratione colamus. Celebrauimus natalem Domini; celebremus et serui. Frequentauimus natiuitatem Saluatoris; frequentemus et natalem martiris. Dominum nostrum peperit incorrupta uirgo Maria, et Stephanum gloriosum ad martirii palmam sancta mater prouexit ecclesia.

'... So let us celebrate Saint Stephen's birthday (natalis), and honour him with due reverence. We have celebrated the Lord's birthday; let us also celebrate his servant's. We have thronged to the birth (nativitas) of the Saviour; let us also throng to the birthday of the martyr. The undefiled Virgin Mary gave birth to our Lord, and our holy mother the Church has conferred on the glorious Stephen the palm of martyrdom.'

Text: Patrologia Latina 38, 1435, and Wilmart 1932, 205, for the last paragraph. Translation: Hill 1994, 142 and 145-146.