The Holy Apostle and First Martyr Stephen
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Saint Stephen was one of the first seven deacons, and the first martyr to die for Christ. Thus, he is known as the protomartyr. He was one of the Greek deacons (Stephanos), and in Acts he is described as filled with the Holy Spirit and "full of grace and strength" (Acts 6: 5-8). Like Jesus, Stephen was falsely accused and taken before the Sanhedrin for a trial. Like Moses, his face is transfigured by God's shining grace, as he proclaims the Gospel to the High Priest and members of the Jewish court.
He gives a powerful sermon in which he summarizes all of salvation history to that point, giving a stinging rebuke to those who reject the Good News. With that, he is dragged outside the city to be killed by stoning, itself an illegal act at that time. To this day, that gate is known as Saint Stephen's Gate. A Jewish man, Saul, with the Roman name Paul, serves as a witness by collecting the cloaks of the men who kill Stephen.
Stephen is shown holding the censer/ kadilo used by the deacon in the liturgy, a church, and a stone. He is vested as a deacon. It is on his feast day that "Good King Wenceslaus" goes out to serve the poor.