Stephen of Nicaea

Saint Stephen of Nicaea is honoured as the first historically known bishop of Reggio Calabria. He is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church. The sources do not agree on his time: one places him in the first century, between 61 and 74, and another in the fourth.

According to church tradition, he was born at Nicaea, came to Reggio in the footsteps of the Holy Apostle Paul and suffered there at the hands of the Romans. The account says that while the Gospel was being preached, a stone pillar on which a candle was burning caught fire after the candle itself had burned out. Stephen understood in this a sign from God and accepted the Christian faith.

Our Menaion data gives 5 July as the day of commemoration.