Boxing Day is St Stephen’s Day when we remember the first Christian martyr.

The cost of following Baby Jesus’ teaching can be high.

Stephen was a deacon and is the patron saint of altar servers, who with the clergy have brought dignity to our Christmas Day liturgy, and international development charity CAFOD.

He is also the patron of the House of Commons which sits in the successor to the Chapel of St Stephen.

Today’s feast day was observed in the chapel at Westminster from 1348 until 1547 when the MPs moved in and sat in the choir.

The old chapel space is now St Stephen’s Hall but MPs still have offices in the chapel cloisters.

So today we might pray for newly elected members that they may have wisdom and seek the common good.

Churches dedicated to Stephen in Blackpool, Bournemouth, Gloucester Road London, Vienna and many other places will be keeping their patronal festival today.