St Stephen’s Day in Vatican City (Holy See) ― Date, History, and Details
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History of St Stephen’s Day in Vatican City (Holy See) and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
St Stephen’s Day is a Christian feast day commemorating St Stephen, the first martyr of Christianity. The day is celebrated on 26 December in the Western Church and 27 December in the Eastern Church. It is also known as the Feast of St Stephen the Protomartyr or the Second Day of Christmas.
In the Holy See, St Stephen’s Day is a solemnity, which means that it is a major feast day in the liturgical calendar. The day is celebrated with a Mass and a special prayer, the collect, is said.
On St Stephen’s Day, the pope gives a blessing to the Roman people from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. This tradition dates back to the early days of the Church when the pope would give a blessing to the people gathered in the square below.
In Vatican City, there is also a procession of the relics of St Stephen. The relics are carried through the streets of the city and then taken to St Peter’s Basilica where they are placed on the altar for a special Mass.