#st stephen

[sedesapostolica]

[ariolimaxxx]

I've been doing these prayers a lot this week and they've brought me some comfort <3

In order:

1: Julian of Norwich

2: Jay Hulme, "Beatitudes for a queerer church" from The Backwater Sermons

3: Hildegard of Bingen

4&5:

6: A version of the collect for St Stephen

((also "cross" is in quotes bc my beads use a heart instead))

[oatzmeal]

St. Stephen’s Cathedral - Passau, Germany

[emvidal]

[jt1674]

Visit Original Link

[anastpaul]

(via One Minute Reflection – 26 December – ‘… Now Paul rejoices with Stephen, with Stephen he enjoys the brightness of Christ; he exults with Stephen, he reigns with Stephen! …')

[merthwyn]

i prayed my first actual and coherent prayer (aka not just one fragmented sentence) for the first time after two months. At the end I asked some specific Saints to pray for me and defend me. Here's the list together with the reasons I chose those Saints in particular:

St Michael the Archangel because I just love him. He's my battle mate. And as I'm interested in spiritual warfare, he knows best about these things.

St Paisios because he had the gift of word of knowledge and maybe prophecy.

St Thaddeus because he is one of the nobodies of the Bible since, although one of the twelve, he was not among those we hear about the most. He is also the Patron Saint of hopeless people and I feel completely lost and hopeless.

St Mary Magdalene because she was demonised and marginalised for it. She knows how it feels to be rejected as well as chased by the voices of your head and/or demons.

St Peter because he had enough faith to walk on the water. And I need a faith like this.

St Stephen the Protomartyr because even when he was on the edge of facing a violent and cruel death he remained steadfast in faith.

St Nectarios because he was persecuted and slandered by the Church.

St Thomas because he knows how it feels to be chased by doubts and probably fear.

And, of course, Mary the Mother of God. She went so much against the current but her faith kept her going.

(I felt so much at peace after this. And I can't believe that I actually pray to Mary and the Saints to intercede for me and fight for me as they are my friends. Last year praying to them felt completely weird. And 8 years ago it felt silly, disgusting and unbiblical. I like this change in me a lot)

[mrsduwinter]

St. Stephen's Cathedral, Vienna