Let the games begin! Yes, Lent Madness 2017 begins RIGHT NOW. After months of speculation and the crushing ache of anticipation, "Ash 
Thursday" has arrived. Over the next (more or less) 40 days and 40 nights, you will have the opportunity to re-immortalize one of our 32 competing saints with the coveted Golden Halo.
Today we see two martyrs squaring off as Stephen faces Alban. Which one will face yet another ignominious exit? That, dear friends, is up to you and your single (we mean that and we have cameras everywhere) vote.
If you’re new to Lent Madness, welcome! If you have any questions about how to participate, just let us know by leaving a comment. The Lent Madness community is both friendly and helpful, often answering questions before the Supreme Executive Committee arrives in their grand purple, if imaginary, chariot.
We urge you to take full part in the Madness. Leave comments here on the website. Read what others have to say. Enjoy the (mostly) friendly rivalry and trash talk on social media. During the day, check in on the website often to see how each day’s contest is going. And above all, delight in seeing how each saint was a powerful witness of Jesus Christ.
Be sure to sign up for e-mail updates on our home page so you never miss a vote, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and encourage your friends to jump into the fray.
We can assure you this will be a wild, joyful, educational, ocassionally gut-wrenching ride. We're delighted to share this journey with you. Let the Madness begin!
Stephen
Stephen is the protomartyr of the Church—the first person to give his life as a witness to his faith in the gospel of Jesus.
Along with six other Greek-speaking believers, Stephen was tasked with serving and providing for those in need, serving as one of the first deacons in the early Jesus Movement. In some traditions, Stephen is given the title of Archdeacon.
Tasked with feeding the hungry, Stephen performed wonders and signs for the people. Unfortunately, these actions did not go over well with some in Jerusalem’s religious power structure, and the Sanhedrin tried him for blasphemy.
Stephen delivered a powerful sermon in front of the Sanhedrin, recounting the relationship between God and the people—his sermon accused listeners of murdering the prophets who foretold the coming of Jesus. While his message seemed to be extremely well-received, with the Sanhedrin shouting “Amen!” and “Thanks be to God,” they immediately took Stephen out into the street and stoned him. With his last breath, Stephen prayed for the forgiveness for his killers.
In death, Stephen has become quite the world traveler. His relics were first identified at what is now the monastery Beit Jimal, just outside of Jerusalem. Stephen’s relics moved around Jerusalem to a location near the northern gate of the city—known to the Crusaders as Stephen’s Gate.
A portion of his relics made a post-mortem trip to Rome, where he was interred alongside the deacon Lawrence (a very polite roommate who made
room for the protomartyr in the crypt of the Basilica of San Lorenzo).
Stephen’s feast day is December 26. He is the patron saint of, among other things, headaches—and, perhaps, family members during uncomfortable holiday situations.
Collect for Stephen
We give you thanks, O Lord of glory, for the example of the first martyr Stephen, who looked up to heaven and prayed for his persecutors to your Son Jesus Christ, who stands at your right hand; where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
Alban
The early martyr Alban is regarded as the protomartyr of Britain—the very first person to die for his confession of Christ in the British Isles. Also, while none of the records are terribly clear, it appears that Alban was only a Christian for a matter of days prior to his martyrdom! The story of Alban comes to us through three chief sources—a medieval text connected with Germanus of Auxerre, the account of the sixth-century British monk Gildas the Wise, and the Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. As is common with martyrs in the early medieval period, Alban’s story grows longer and more colorful with each step.
During one of the Roman persecutions of Christians, Alban (who was a kindly man but apparently not a believer) hid a priest in his house rather than allow the priest to be caught and killed by the authorities. The priest remained hidden for several days and instructed Alban in the faith. Once the Roman authorities learned of the priest’s presence, they came to the house demanding the fugitive. Alban dressed himself in the priest’s distinctive clothing and was led away to see the judge. The judge (somehow realizing that Alban was not the priest in question) promised to let Alban go if he renounced Christianity and sacrificed to the gods. Alban refused, asserting his full faith in Christ, and was led away to be executed. However, the bridge linking the court to the execution site was totally blocked by would-be spectators. The waters of the river parted, enabling Alban and his execution party to continue on dry ground to the place of his martyrdom. The executioner was so moved by this divine sign that he refused to kill Alban and was executed alongside him instead.
Bede’s narrative adds that upon killing these two martyrs, the replacement executioner’s eyes promptly popped out of his head as punishment. Furthermore, the head of Alban rolled down the hill, and at the point where it stopped, a spring of pure water sprung up.
Collect for Alban
Almighty God, who inspired your servant Alban to lay down his life for the cause of the Gospel; grant us the grace to follow his example that our own lives may be reflections of your love and witnesses to the truth of your power; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[poll id="172"]
470 comments on “Stephen vs. Alban”
A tough choice it is for this first round. It is even harder after I read the comments. No more of that. I will vote first & then read. I voted for Stephen because of his boldness to speak of his belief in Jesus right at the beginning. I am inspired by Alban's ingenuity, sacrifice & witness.
Stephen!!
Regarding Alban: two, two, two heads instead of one...eyeballs popping out--great gore factor. Nevertheless, I'm going for Stephen. He is the first after Christ to go the way of the cross--the stone in this case--and sets the example. The association of St. Stephen with the day after Christmas and Beckett's sermon in "Murder in the Cathedral" means we can ponder Beckett and Eliot, too. Because he was stoned, we can also associate him with Bob Dylan, though I'm not so sure that Stephen would sing along with "Everybody must get stoned."
That song has been uncomfortably stuck in my mind all day.
HE just might!
How do I make a comment? New to the game and finding my way around! I already voted!
Tom, you appear to have mastered the Lent Madness well! Welcome!
Working in our church food pantry and dealing with weekly migraines Steven was the only choice!
Who couldn't love a fresh spring of water flowing at the site of St. Alban's head!
I am new to this. How do I vote? If this is how, I vote for Stephen.
Rob
To cast your vote, go to the bios near the top of the page. Immediately after the second bio you will see the names of the two contestants. Beside each name is a button. Click on the button of the one you choose, and your vote will be registered.
Welcome to the Madness!
We're in Jesus Movement territory these days and clearly must stick with the home town boy, Stephen. Holy Land all the way.
Two great proto-martyrs! I voted for Stephen because of his wonderful and Christ-like prayer for forgiveness for his executioners, even though I once was interim priest of a parish named for St. Alban, whose courage and self-sacrifice on behalf of another I greatly admire.
Boy - this was hard! Initially I was leaning toward Stephen (how traditional of me) but I was then swayed by Alban offering refuge to a priest before he was even a Christian. What an example he set!
Stephen is one of the first martyrs I ever learned about in St. Catherine's School. I was married in St. Stephens Church in Richmond, Va. which is right across from the school.No one forgets about the stoning of Stephen. He gets my vote.
I suspect that David Hansen had his tongue in his cheek when he wrote of Stephen:
"…his message seemed to be extremely well received, with the Sanhedrin shouting 'Amen!' and 'Thanks be to God'."
Acts 7: 54-58 reads: When they (the Sanhedrin) heard these things, they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul."
Let the tourney begin!
I voted for Seasoned Saint Stephen for all of the above reasons and: in honor of our Deacon Ed, and of my Uncle Ralph, who was a member and chorister at St. Stephen's Episcopal in Oak Ridge, TN.
May St. Steve inspire our courage to speak the truth, and St Alban to walk it.
I pictured the fill-in executioners eyes popping out attached to springs ala an old cartoon image and it made me laugh out loud....so this year I went with Alban.
Patron Saint of headaches! Fantastic. I just found a doctor who diagnosed my lifetime of headaches as a cicada rhythm malady with easy fix of low dose lithium. Stephen must win the Gilden Halo !!! Clearly he was responsible for my cure.
I thought I voted early this AM. However, when I went back to check a few minutes ago the VOTE button seems to be live! Or did I just think I voted? Not going to try voting again so as to not provoke the SEC and be banishèd, but I am just a bit confused here. I think I voted for Alban...who knows?
You have dispensation to try again. It won't let you vote twice. Unless you were on a different device...
May God bless your ministry, Deacon!
Deacons don't rule, deacons don't even lead--they send, support, care, and are like the presence of God out in the world. Well, ok, so is any Christian. But Stephen, the deacon who was appointed to serve the food and went out to make trouble.
I had to go with Alban. The name of my church~~I was born into the church and remain a member. I'm sticking with St. Alban!
I love reading the comments. I read the biographies, then vote and then the comments. But I must say sometimes the comments make such good points that I am tempted to reverse order. Today, my reason was the same as Oliver's (welcome back!), because he was first.
Gonna have to go with St. Stephen. First protomartyr, stoning, hymns, Grateful Dead song. Admittedly, the St. Alban story is colorful as well, but my nephew is named Steven, so he wins.
We were married 57 years ago on St. Stephen's Day (Dec 26) so of course we had to vote for him!
As I vocational deacon before my ordination as I priest, I've always felt a particular devotion to St. Stephen-
Couldn't vote for any other great saint
Alban has the vote; because this is the perfect illustration of the fact that it is never too late to turn your life around and give your life to the Lord!!! Thanks be to God
A newbie. I can't wait to enter the fray
Stephen. all the way!
I felt compelled to vote for St. Alban and did so. Lent Madness Payoff: My son who won't attend any church is avidly reading the Saintly Scorecard. Thank you, SEC, for this wonderful annual event and maybe influencing my son to attend our church. Who knows?
Once the spring sprung I was so tempted... but hard to go past St Stephen. It must have been such a shock. St Alban had more of an idea of what he was getting into. Would have been tempted to vote for that executioner.
This was a hard choice. But when I thought of the present in the US, I went for St. Alban, who while not a believer took in the priest who was being pursued and then willingly disguised himself to face the judges. Alban risked his and lost his life in doing so. Who would be willing to do even the least of this today?
Just completed a bible study in Acts and am very familiar with Stephen. I'm new to this but so far am intrigued. The events which lead to and follow Alben's execution surely make an unique read!