Since I am reading this on a radio show, which will be aired next month, in December, I looked over different December themes. Naturally, Christmas themes prevailed. However, what caught my eye was the Grateful Dead's song St. Stephen.
St. Stephen's feast day is December 26, which is why it was listed as a Christmas song. St. Stephen is honored as the first Christian martyr. After Jesus was killed, His followers continued His preaching. St. Stephen was a follower of Jesus, and he was not too prudent regarding his audience's receptivity to his message. Telling an audience of Jews, that they killed their Messiah, was not received well. That was not wise. Consequently, Stephen was stoned to death--hence he is considered the first Christian martyr. Before he died, as he was being stoned, he is known to have said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and Lord, do not hold this sin against them."
See. This is why he is remembered as the first Christian martyr. Now one way to cement a person and event in people's minds and hearts, is to put the event in a song; the Grateful Dead's St. Stephen, is an example. Although Robert Hunter's lyrics don't explicitly explain who St. Stephen was, the listener does understand that St. Stephen was a visionary who faced persecution.
Googling who and why St. Stephen was considered under Christmas themes, I learned who he was and why he has a feast day. Martyrdom has a way of being noted as going above and beyond one's job. And the Grateful Dead's song wasn't the only song memorializing St. Stephen. The nineteenth century has two more songs.
There is the hymn, St. Stephen was a Holy Man.
Read lyrics.
https://youtu.be/Sqy2Mau1vTQ?
The other song isn't about St. Stephen but rather a Bohemian King who was assassinated--think how Stephen died. The lyrics tell the story. In fact, I remember this song and as a child and we sang it as a Christmas Carol.
Read lyrics.
https://youtu.be/uB6WWulhCVs?
Merry Christmas and have a good St. Stephen's Day.
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