St. Stephen Protomartyr In The Croatian Cultural Heritage

U radu se govori o sv. Stjepanu prvomučeniku, koji je bio prvi među sedam đakona, a koje su apostoli odabrali nakon Uzašašća Isusa Krista. Pomagao je sirotinji i bio gorljivi propovjednik vjere u Isusa Krista. To je smetalo Židovima pa su ga oklevetali da je govorio protiv Mojsija. Izveli su ga pred velikoga poganskoga svećenika i održao žestoku filipiku. Razjarena svjetina kamenovala ga je, a na smrt ranjen sv. Stjepan je kleknuo i molio za svoje ubojice: „Gospodine, ne uzmi im ovo za grijeh!” Štovanje sv. Stjepana prvomučenika seže od 380. godine. Svećenik Lucijan u viđenju je doznao gdje se nalazi Stjepanovo ukopano tijelo te je svečeve relikvije 415. godine donio u Jeruzalem. Odatle su relikvije prenesene u Carigrad, a 560. godine u Rim, uz tijelo sv. Lovre. Prema legendi sv. Lovro se okrenuo na bok i pružio ruku sv. Stjepanu. Po gregorijanskom kalendaru, Crkva svetkuje blagdan sv. Stjepana prvomučenika 26. prosinca, a po julijanskom kalendaru 9. siječnja. Katolička Crkva svetkuje spomendan Našašća tijela sv. Stjepana 3. kolovoza. U hrvatskoj kulturnoj baštini štovanje sv. Stjepana prvomučenika seže u 6. stoljeću. O tome svjedoče ranokršćanske crkve od Istre do Cavtata posvećene tome svecu. Blagdan kao i spomendan karakteriziraju vjerski i brojni narodni običaji. Mnoge obitelji, za svoju brgulju (krsnu slavu), uzeli su blagdan ili spomendan sv. Stjepana. Na blagdan kao i na spomendan sv. Stjepana hodočasti se svečevim svetištima. Neki hodočasnici na blagdan idu na hodočašće jašući na konju, a neki u konjskim kočijama. Poslije procesije i svete mise organiziraju se velika narodna veselja. Održavaju se čestitarski ophodi. Mladići i djevojke do pred večer igraju kola tako iskazujući simpatije. Domaćini izvode konje jašući ih i utrkujući se. Uz spomendan Našašća vezuje se paljenje krjesova.Paper discusses St. Stephen Protomartyt who was among the first seven deacons which were chosen by the apostles after the Ascension of Jesus Christ. He helped the poor and was a zealous preacher of faith in Jesus Christ. That bothered the Jews and so they defamed him that he spoke against Moses. He was taken in front of a pagan high priest where he gave a fierce philippic. An enraged crowd stoned him, but mortally wounded St. Stephen kneeled and prayed for his murderers: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”84 Worship of St. Stephen Protomartyr goes back to the year 380. Priest Lucian was told in a vision where Stephen’s body was buried, so he brought the saint’s relics to Jerusalem in 415. From there, relics were taken to Constantinople and in the year 560 to Rome, alongside the body of St. Lawrence. According to a legend, St. Lawrence turned to his side and gave his hand to St. Stephen. According to the Gregorian calendar, Church celebrates the feast of St. Stephen Protomartyr on 26th December, and according to the Julian calendar on 9th January. Catholic Church celebrates the memorial of Finding of St. Stephen’s body on 3rd August. In Croatian cultural heritage, the worship of St. Stephen Protomartyr goes back to the 6th century. This is evidenced by the early-Christian churches from Istra to Cavtat dedicated to that saint. Feast day, as well as the memorial, are characterized by religious and numerous folk customs. Many families, for their brgulja (slava), adopted the feast or memorial of St. Stephen. On the feast day, as well as on the memorial of St. Stephen, there are pilgrimages to his sanctuaries. Some pilgrims do their pilgrimage riding a horse, or in a horse carriage. After the procession and the holly mass, big folk celebrations are organized. Congratulatory processions are held. Young men and women dance kolo until the night, thus expressing sympathies. Housekeepers take their horses out, ride them and take part in races. Lighting bonfires is connected to the memorial of Finding of St. Stephen’s body