Ant. The Apostles chose the Levite Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, whom the Jews stoned while he prayed, saying: Lord Jesus, receive my spirit, and lay not this sin to their charge.

V. By the merits and prayers of the blessed Stephen.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, to thy people.

Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, who didst consecrate the first fruits of the Martyrs in the blood of the blessed Levite Stephen, grant, we beseech Thee, that he may become our advocate, who even for his persecutors besought our Lord, thy Son Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen.

Ant. Elegerunt Apostoli Stephanum Levitam plenum fide et Spiritu Sancto, quem lapidaverunt Iudaei orantem et dicentem: Domine Iesu, accipe spiritum meum, et non statuas illis hoc peccatum.

V. Meritis et precibus beati Stephani.
R. Propitius esto, Domine, populo tuo.

Oremus.
Omnipotens, sempiterne Deus, qui primitias Martyrum in beati Levitae Stephani sanguine dedicasti: tribue, quaesumus, ut pro nobis intercessor existat, qui pro suis etiam persecutoribus exoravit Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Filium tuum, qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum. Amen.