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.
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470 comments on “Stephen vs. Alban”
I woke up with a headache today - St. Stephen sending me a sign? (though one would hope he helps alleviate the pain, not cause it…)
It's hard to resist the popping eyeballs, but my vote is for Stephen!
St. Stephen. Some credit for being First.
Stephen, Stephen, Stephen! There's nothing like being stoned to death to leave a lasting memory. Obviously, this was part of Saul's conversion, to leave the Stoners and hit the road, jack, for Damascus!
Anyone who feeds the hungry has my vote.
I am having my 7th grade Christian Ed. classes at our Episcopal school participate in this. While I would have voted for Stephen, they unanimously voted for Alban!
SPOILER ALERT: partisan commentary. It's 6 am, and Sessions isn't gone yet, so I'm feeling somewhat martyred myself. I'm going to go with Stephen, because it amuses me that everyone shouted You go, boy! and then immediately killed him. Seems appropriate. Am expecting this Lent to be turbulent and roiling and am settling in for a wild ride. Will accept impeachment, prosecutions, and resignations in lieu of actual executions. Above all am trying to possess my soul in patience and practice a holy Lent. Delighted to be with you all again, beautiful people and fellow souls on our annual pilgrimage to Canterbury. Reminder to self: Don't spill the goldfish!
Go St. Cecilia!
If Steven can help out with the headache that is work this morning for me, he's got my vote!
St. Stephen, although Alban offers an eye-popping alternative
"Eye popping alternative". That was bad!
LOL
Ok so emojis don't show up I guess.
Great match-up right out of the gate. It was a hard choice which sets the right tone for what Lent is all about- wrestling with our life choices.
Alban is a great example to us in these days when we are again called to provide sanctuary.
I'm a deacon. This one is a no-brainer--Stephen.
Alban. He risked...and lost...his life giving sanctuary to someone in peril.
Yes! Have often wondered, would I have had the courage of the 'righteous Gentiles' who risked their lives to shelter European Jews from Hitler's holocaust? I was not there, so I will never know. But today my beloved country is turning with terrifying speed to a wave of hate crime. Shelter those at risk of oppression is the saintly message I need to hear. Alban has m vote.
Oh, SEC! How could you?! Such a choice on the first day of Lent! What were you thinking? I think I must go with the first protomartyr. Just because he was first. The second is just as fine; but I'd like to see Stephen advance through the ranks.
I enjoy this sharing of our choice so much, it adds to the information given by the SEC celebrity blogs on each saint. Such a hard choice but Alban got my vote.
I'm with St. Celia on this one, including her partisan commentary. I'm also moved by Stephen's calling for forgiveness of his killers with his dying breath.
Alban for me , his name Sake town St Albans is one of my favorite lakeside towns in Vermont
I go to St. Alban's in Albany, CA, so this was pretty much decided before I read the biographies. Didn't know about the water parting, eye popping or the spring, though.
You got here first, Anne! Ditto to what you said.
So hard. Thought I would vote for Stephen for sure. Alban being the Patron Saint of refugees seems like a God-incidence. Alban for the Golden Halo!
What glee! The first two saints in my morning inbox.....What challenges they brought with them....Left me wondering what I'm willing to die for and how often self preservation wins out over faithfulness in my life as well.
In considering which to vote for, I don't look just at the fact of their martyrdoms, but what the effect was. Stephen's witness laid part of the groundwork for the conversion of St Paul and the spread of Christianity throughout the known Gentile world. If it hadn't been for that sequence of events, where would most of us be today? A member of a small Jewish sect or following some other form of religion or none at all. Alban's witness led to a powerful impact on the Church in England and which led one judge to declare an end to persecutions based on one's belief in Jesus. That was in the late 3rd or early 4th century. Neither one had been a Christian for very long before being hauled before the powers-that-be. Tough choice since the impact of both led to profound impacts far beyond their deaths or their geographical location.
The saintly angst of Lent Madness is back with a tough decision on the first day. I voted for Stephen in honor of the many deacons who have inspired me over the years . I wish I knew about his headache connection before.
Welcome to the first-timers!
I loved Alban's story, but Stephen was the first. I also woke with a headache this morning, and hoping for a little help in return for my vote.
I voted for Stephen because there is reasonable uncertainty that Alban actually existed (not that non-existence is any bar to being an exemplum for the faithful - cf. St. "Christopher," removed from the Roman Kalendar when scholars realized that his name indicated a believer's aspiration rather than a historical person).
Alban! Didn't he play for Watford? Can't remember if he was a striker or a center back.
Protomartyr brother Stephen of course!
Such decisions so early! Rolling heads and springs and traveling relics? Pretty close to a coin toss, but Alban won the day. We all need fresh water.
How can I not vote for the first Deacon. Married to a former Archdeacon, I know how important the role is in the life of the church. Alban is worthy as well, but I go with Steve.
If I had been a boy, I would have been named for the martyr Stephen.
Gotta go with Alban. Love those rolling heads!
Was looking so forward to Lenten Madness this year that I "almost" decided that giving it up would be a good Lenten discipline ! However, I am weak and here I am !
And you will be blessed for so doing! Welcome back