Byzantine Saints: Monastic Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New (28 November)

About this sermon

Monastic Martyr and Confessor St. Stephen the New (Commemorated November 28) In this video, we recount the powerful life, witness, and martyrdom of St. Stephen the New, a courageous confessor of the Orthodox Faith during the era of the Iconoclast persecutions in Byzantium. Born in 715 in Constantinople, St. Stephen became a beacon of holiness, ascetic discipline, and unwavering devotion to the veneration of holy icons. Amid the violent attacks led by Emperor Leo III the Isaurian and later Constantine V Copronymus, St. Stephen stood firmly with the Holy Orthodox Church, defending the true teaching regarding icons. His miracles, teachings, and monastic leadership strengthened the faithful during a dark and dangerous era. Ultimately, St. Stephen suffered imprisonment, brutal torture, and martyrdom, giving his life rather than betray the sacred tradition of icon veneration. His legacy continues to inspire Orthodox Christians around the world. 00:00 — Introduction 00:20 — Birth of St. Stephen the New (715 A.D.) 00:35 — Dedicated to God in the Church of Blachernae 00:42 — Iconoclast Persecution under Emperor Leo III 01:12 — Family Flees to Bithynia 01:21 — St. Stephen Becomes Disciple of Elder John 01:40 — Death of His Father & Family Tonsured as Monastics 01:47 — Death of Elder John 01:54 — Stephen Lives in Solitary Asceticism 02:01 — Monastery Forms Around St. Stephen 02:04 — Becomes Abbot at Age 42 02:06 — Moves to Another Mountain for Deeper Seclusion 02:19 — Constantine V: The Fiercest Iconoclast Persecutor 02:30 — The Iconoclast Council & Condemnation of Icons 03:10 — Fame of Stephen’s Holiness Reaches the Emperor 03:36 — Attempts to Bribe or Threaten the Saint 04:03 — False Accusations Against Stephen 04:14 — Imprisonment & Destruction of His Monastery 04:21 — Heretic Bishops Attempt to Convert Him 04:34 — Exile to the Sea of Marmara 04:48 — St. Stephen Becomes a Stylite 05:00 — Miracles Spread; Faith Strengthened 05:02 — Second Imprisonment on Island of Pharos 05:07 — Trial & Defense of Icon Veneration 05:22 — The Emperor’s Coin Argument 05:53 — Imprisoned with 342 Icon-Venerating Elders 06:03 — Prison Becomes a Monastery 06:14 — People Seek His Prayers 06:23 — Failed Assassination by Twin Brothers 06:45 — Emperor’s Lies Spark Final Attack 06:53 — Martyrdom of St. Stephen the New 07:04 — His Body Thrown Into Criminal Pit 07:06 — Miraculous Signs: Fiery Cloud & Darkness 07:13 — Hailstorm Over Constantinople https://www.oca.org/saints/lives 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 Support Catholic Businesses here - https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ Sensus Fidelium Press - https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ Sensus Fidelium Apps - https://sensusfidelium.tv/ Support Sensus Fidelium - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏🏻PLEASE HELP OUR CHANNEL GROW 🙏🏻 ▶️ 1. Become a Channel Patron: https://www.patreon.com/SensusFidelium ▶️ 2. Visit the website https://www.sensusfidelium.com for Gueranger, Saint of the Day, Apologetics, Meditation by the Saints, Scripture Study and more. ▶️ 3. Subscribe to Other Video Platforms 🔴 BitChute --- https://www.bitchute.com/channel/Sensus_Fidelium/ 🔴 Rumble --- https://rumble.com/c/c-298311 🔴 My Catholic Tube - https://mycatholictube.com/videos/sensus-fidelium-channel/ 🔴 ODYSEE - https://odysee.com/@SensusFidelium:c 🔴 UGETube - https://videos.utahgunexchange.com/@Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 BrandNewTube - https://brandnewtube.com/@SensusFidelium 🔴 GloriaTV - https://gloria.tv/Sensus%20Fidelium 🔴 Brighteon - https://www.brighteon.com/channels/sensusfidelium ▶️ 4. Paypal, Bitcoin, Anedot, Stripe, Square & PO Box donations - https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ ▶️ 5. YouTube: Click Subscribe, then Click "Notification Bell" = 🔔 Please "Like" our videos so that Youtube shares it to others by clicking the "Like" thumbs-up under the video = 👍🏻 ▶️ 6. Please share this video 📲, and help others find Christ inside the Catholic Church! Please share this video on Facebook and Twitter using the share button. ▶️ 7. Follow on Social Media: 🔴 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SensusFidelium/ 🔴 Twitter: https://https://twitter.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Parler: https://parler.com/profile/Sensusfidelium/posts 🔴 SP3RN: https://www.sp3rn.com/community/pages/14-sensus-fidelium 🔴 GAB: https://gab.com/Sensus_Fidelium 🔴 Bastyon: https://bastyon.com/sensusfidelium 🔴 GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/sensus_fidelium 🔴 INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/sensusfidelium/ 🔴 Telegram: https//t.me/RealSensusFidelium 🔴 Truth Social - @SensusFidelium ▶️ 8. Follow on iTunes: 🔴 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sensus-fidelium-catholic-podcast/id1477010758 #OrthodoxChristianity #LivesOfTheSaints #StStephenTheNew #OrthodoxSaints #ChristianMartyr #Iconoclasm #HolyIcons #ByzantineHistory #EasternOrthodoxy #ChristianHistory #MonasticSaints #ConfessorSaints #OrthodoxFaith

Topics

• Suffering & Trials