Welcome to the opening matchup of Lent Madness 2022! If you’re joining us for the first time, we’re delighted you’re along for this wild, saintly ride. If you’re 
curious about what this all entails, check out the About Lent Madness tab on the website.
To experience the fullness of Lent Madness, the Supreme Executive Committee (the somewhat benevolent dictatorship that runs this whole enterprise) encourages you to do a couple things. First, like Lent Madness on Facebook and/or follow us on Twitter. Second, subscribe to the Lent Madness e-mails so you never miss a vote — you’ll get each matchup hand-delivered to your inbox on the weekdays of Lent. You can do this by going to the home page of our website and entering your e-mail address.
But mostly, we encourage you to read about the 32 saints participating in this year’s edition of Lent Madness, faithfully cast your (single!) vote on the weekdays of Lent, and add your comments to the great cloud of participating witnesses that gathers as the online Lent Madness community each year. It's true that this is the only place on the internet where reading the comments is actually edifying.
If you’re wondering when your favorite saint will be competing – in order to rally your friends and neighbors (creative campaigning is encouraged, voter fraud is not) – you can check out the 2022 Matchup Calendar. And if you'd like to see all 32 saints (plus Tim and Scott) represented in peg doll form, check out this AMAZING video from our friends at St. James Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana.
Things kick off with a matchup that may just leave you humming a certain Christmas carol, as Stephen faces off against Wenceslaus. Friends, it's time to cast your very first vote of Lent Madness 2022! We’re glad you’re all here. Now get to it!
Stephen
Along with six other Greek-speaking believers, Stephen was selected to be a deacon in the Greek-speaking Christian community in Jerusalem, tasked with serving and providing for those in need. In some traditions, Stephen is identified as the eldest of these first deacons and given the title of archdeacon.
Set to the task of providing for the poor, Deacon Stephen also kept busy performing “wonders and signs” among the people. As is often the case, compassion was met with anger—as was his teaching and preaching—and Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin as a criminal.
Arguing for his life, Stephen could have chosen the easy path. Instead, he spoke truth to those who held power. He preached a sermon that accused his listeners of murdering the prophets who foretold the coming of Jesus. This went over like a lead balloon.
The authorities immediately took Stephen out and stoned him. Stephen became the protomartyr; the first follower of Jesus to give up their life for the sake of the gospel. And in his death, there resounded echoes of the death of Jesus as Stephen used his last breath to pray for the forgiveness of his killers.
In life, Stephen’s story is tied to Jerusalem, but in death, Stephen has been a world traveler. At various points in time, Stephen’s remains have rested in both Jerusalem and Rome. In Jerusalem, one of the major gates to the city still bears his name. In Rome, it is said that the remains of another deacon, Lawrence, miraculously moved to make room for the first archdeacon of the church.
Stephen’s feast day is December 26, the first commemoration to follow the day of the Nativity of our Lord, just as his death was the first to follow the crucifixion of our Lord.
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
-- David Hansen
Wenceslaus
Most of us are familiar with Good King Wenceslaus who goes out on the snowy evening of December 26. But Saint Wenceslaus was not a king, nor did he likely venture out on the feast of Stephen in deep snow. He was, however, a deeply faithful Christian whose life set the standard for a godly ruler for centuries to come.
Wenceslaus was born in Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic) in the early 900s. His grandparents and his father, the Duke of Bohemia, were faithful Christians, but his mother, Dragomir, remained a staunch devotee of pagan faith. When Wenceslaus was 13, his father died. His Christian grandmother Ludmilla became regent and guardian of Wenceslas, but Wenceslaus’s mother murdered Ludmilla and took control of the government. She instituted harsh penalties against Christians in Bohemia and tried desperately to convert her son to the pagan ways. When Wenceslaus came of age, he banished his mother and took control of the government himself.
Wenceslaus took a vow of chastity and worked tirelessly to share the Christian faith with his subjects. As a leader, he preferred diplomacy to war. One legend holds that as his army faced a challenger, Wenceslaus sent an offer of peace. His opponent viewed the peace offering as a sign of weakness and prepared to attack. Wenceslaus offered to fight his opponent one-on-one to avoid massive casualties. As the two men walked toward each other, his opponent saw two angels guarding Wenceslaus. His opponent wisely chose Wenceslaus’s offer of peace.
Wenceslaus’s brother Boleslav was threatened by this modernization and Christianization of Bohemia. On September 28, 935, as Wenceslaus entered a church to attend mass, Boleslav murdered Wenceslaus by running him through with a lance. Almost immediately, Wenceslaus was venerated as a martyr. Reports of miracles occurring at his tomb led Boleslav to relocate the bones to St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. Wenceslaus was promoted to kingship posthumously by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. The Crown of Wenceslaus became the symbol for Czech independence. Within decades of his death, hagiographies, or biographies of saints, of Wenceslaus were popular and established the model for the righteous king, whose power is rooted in piety.
Collect for Wenceslaus
Almighty God, you gave to your servant Wenceslaus special gifts of grace to understand and teach the truth as it is in Christ Jesus: Grant that by this teaching we may know you, the one true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-- Laurie Brock
UPDATE: At about 10:30 EST, we removed just over 600 votes from Wenceslaus due to some cheating. Remember that we encourage you to vote once and once only. Voting too many times gets you banned from the Saintly Smackown.
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277 comments on “Stephen vs. Wenceslaus”
I too give my sympathy vote to Wenceslaus given the situation in Ukraine
This was a hard choice for me. My dad's name was Stephen. However after giving it much prayer and thought I voted for Wenceslaus for the the same reason you stated. My dad would had been proud of me for casting my vote this way. Thank you, Fr. Mike, for your thoughtful words.
An Eastern European saint who preferred diplomacy to war sounds like the right saint for these times. My vote goes to Wenceslaus.
Hear, hear. Stephen is a most admirable saint, but Wenceslaus is most fitting for the times given events in Ukraine.
St Stephen seemed the obvious choice to me because of many years involvement with Stephen Ministry
So many myths from which to choose! I went with Wenceslaus simply because even today the faithful face hatred and resistance from those (even many who call themselves "Christians") who hate and resist modernization. I'm going to guess Boleslav was also an anti-vaxxer.
Oh, you know it!
In this grave hour, having been threatened with nuclear war, my vote goes to Wenceslaus, a man who had the power to send other men into battle but who offered to fight his opponent one-on-one instead. (Though it is hard to pass up the chance to vote for the very first Christian martyr!)
As a Deacon, I am compelled to vote for Stephen. But Wenceslas story is convincing and more interesting than I knew before.
My husband's ancestors were from Bohemia. His mother always called herself a "Bohunk." In light of the brave Ukrainians and my dear late Mother-in-law, I cast my vote for Saint Wenceslaus.
I learned a lot about Wenceslas, however, as a longtime member of St. Stephen's in Santa Clarita, CA, my vote goes to Stephen, the first deacon and martyr of the church.
Tough having a murderous pagan mother, so I leaned toward Wensceslaus, also from having been befriended by fierce Bohemian folks when I lived in So. Dakota and attended a tiny church there. But I liked Stephen's style, so there's my vote.
I’ve always found Stephen’s speech just ahead of his murder, such a striking moment in Scripture. I imagine Jesus’s followers holed up before Pentecost praying and searching the prophets trying to make sense of the Messiah’s life and death…. Oh to be a fly on the wall of the Upper Room! Then FF when Stephen appears in the narrative, jumping at the chance to explain the Disciples’ insight/illumination/revelation in a speech that elegantly lays out for all - God’s plan of salvation with King Jesus on the throne. Ka-pow! I think we have some insight to those long days and nights of sequestration.
Stephen, smart, devoted to Jesus and dogged in his service to God. Devoted to following Jesus with his heart, mind and life.
Love King Wenceslas, too. I see elements of St Stephen I’m his life and, I am now… not surprised that the carol of the good king Wenceslas connects him to St Stephen.
Kudos to the Lent Madness for this funny match-up. You guys crack me up!
Wenceslaus, for peace in Eastern Europe. May it be so soon.
Drama worthy of Shakespeare to pick up and write a play about (why didn't he??) - ergo Wenceslaus
My first thoughts were to vote for Stephen. On reflection my horror of the warfare happening in Ukraine I had to vote for Wenceslas who bravely ruled for peace and actually put his own life at risk rather than sit in safety, far from the conflict, ordering génocide, putting the world at risk.
I voted for Stephen. We need more deacons in this world, now. That is not downplaying what Wenceslaus did with his life.
I'm with Patsy, a fellow 'Bohunk' and a supporter of those who ask for peace. I also loved that he asked for single combat, rather than throw away the lives of the soldiers who undoubtedly just had to be there.
There is an inner struggle going on this morning between the bohemian me and the deacon me.
Oh, I love this comment!
I am a member of St. Stephen's in Fargo, ND and am married to our church's first Deacon. His name is John Anderson and he represents us well. Hats off to all of the Deacons and their significant others. Hats off to St. Stephen, patron saint of Deacons!
Great kick off and I am loving the new look of the website. However I am wondering where the share buttons for Facebook, Twitter and other social media are. I do know how to copy a url but did really like the ease of the share buttons in earlier versions of the website.
Copying a URL is just like copying any other text. The URL is in the address bar of your browser. You click in there and then select and copy just like any other bit of text. Then paste it where you need it. Or you can just type out lentmadness.org which is all someone needs to get to the main page of the site.
I actually nominated Stephen for the Golden Halo because his words before his martyrdom are so inspirational. Stephen all the way!
Both saints are worthy of my vote, Since Stephen was first, it seems appropriate that he get my first vote. Plus, my husband was born on St. Stephen's Day. And, yes, this is the type of logic I use when picking my March Madness bracket, too.
What a challenging first vote! Both of the bios were compelling and educational. I agree with many of the existing comments about how W embodies what we need in Ukraine today, but as a member of St. Stephen's Cohasset, MA, I have to stick with the protomartyr.
Is this the same St. Stephen shot by arrows? Is that arrow story another version of the stoning story? Thank you. MJ
That's St. Sebastian.
I voted for Stephen because I am a deacon.
Question: if I did the bracket for the round of 32 is that voting?
Nope! Still need to cast your vote everyday (you aren't the only person to ask this).
Is there any way we could send Wenceslas to a certain dacha in Russia with his two angels? I know the President of Russia is not a believer, but it doesn't seem like anything else has been working in our efforts to stop the slaughter and destruction in Ukraine. I would prefer this method and a possible conversion to the bounty an oligarch has placed on President Putin's head.
Thank goodness Lent Madness has returned! My great grandfather was Czech and I am only beginning to learn
about this part of my heritage. My Czech grandmother died
( 1918 flu epidemic..) when my Dad was 4 years old and I
heard little about her...thank you Ancestry for filling in
some of the blanks. So, Wenceslaus in honor of my grandmother and the people of Ukraine. I hope my dear
friend Steve who also is playing Lent Madness will forgive me for not voting for St. Stephen.
Wenceslaus! Cuz of the carol: "Heat was in the very sod, where the snow lay dinted.". C'mon, now!
The comments regarding Wenceslaus were quite enlightening. As usual, either saint would be a good choice, but I am a traditionalist, so my vote went to Stephen. Deacons are so needed and Stephen quite revered. On the other hand, we so need good rulers like Wenceslaus, I think he stands a good chance.
A difficult choice to start off this season of Lent Madness. My heart is with Ukraine and peace so I read about Wenceslaus with compassion but still had to vote for St. Stephen because of his being the first martyr and because he was so forgiving. At this time I wish I had some of his forgiveness in my soul!
Wonderful things about Wenceslaus that I did not know. But without Stephen, where would the church be? Wenceslaus--not being "king" in his life is diaconal; serving but not seeking title and recognition. I am a deacon; may Stephen's story stir up a recognition of their call to the diaconate in many.
I would have voted for Wenceslas if he were up against anyone else. My late husband was an archdeacon.