Something About the Feast of Stephen

Wren in Rome.

The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of Stephen today and through a roundabout of things it reminds me of passage in Saint Fidgeta.

Today is considered the second day of Christmastide and it honors one of the first Christian martyrs, Saint Stephen, who was stoned to death in AD 36. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, Stephen made a speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death. His martyrdom was witnessed by Saul of Tarsus, also known as Paul, a Roman citizen who would later become a Christian apostle.

Now, who remembers who looked out on the Feast of Stephen when the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even? That's right: Good King Wenceslas, according to the Christmas carol. The song is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslaus I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935). Wency was duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination by his younger brother, Boleslaus the Cruel.

I like to think Bellairs borrowed some of the names in this story for some fictional fratricide of his own. Bellairs writes in Saint Fidgeta and Other Parodies of the pagan Saint Dragomira who was clubbed to death by her brother, Bogeslaw.

Boleslaus.  Boleslav.  Brothers in arms.