Daniel Donale

Venerable Stephen the Confessor, called in the world Daniel or Dounale, was a Christian of tenth-⁠century Spain who, after a life spent in the world, became a monk and suffered for Christ in Egypt. The Greek synaxarion commemorates him on 17 December.

His homeland was near Gadeira, today's Cádiz, in southern Spain, on an island called Nivertis or, according to others, Verroe. He lived first in the world, had a family and raised his children in piety, making them useful people devoted to good works.

Later he set aside all the cares of life and gave himself wholly to God. He went as a pilgrim to Rome, where he gave much money to Christian foundations, then to Constantinople, which according to the synaxarion he reached in 919, and he did the same there. From there he went on to the Holy Land. He distributed the last of his money and became a monk, receiving the name Stephen.

The Saracens seized him and tortured him cruelly, but he managed to escape with two priests and reached Egypt. Even there he did not keep silent but preached the Gospel with zeal. He was denounced to the emir, thrown into prison and subjected to grievous tortures. Gravely wounded, he reposed in the Lord, glorifying God.

The Church honours him as a confessor of Christ who left wealth, homeland and quiet for the sake of the faith. He is commemorated on 17 December, the same day as the holy Prophet Daniel and the Three Holy Youths of Babylon.