#The Magi from the East

This homily, translated from Greek by Petru Molodeț and revised by Maria Luiza Oancea and Octavian Gordon, celebrates the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, by drawing a parallel between the physical Sun and Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, and through the praise of Stephen as an athlete of grace and power, culminating in his heavenly vision in the Acts of the Apostles.

This three-act play by Constantin Adamovici dramatises the birth of the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem, depicting the conflict between Herod the Great, determined to kill the Messiah, and the characters who choose the path of mercy: Marcus, the Roman commander sent to carry out the murderous order, and Eliazar, the high priest expelled from the temple. At the moment of choice, Marcus lays down his sword at the Child’s feet, whilst Herod, refusing to repent, dies crushed by his own hatred; the play theologically illustrates the triumph of love and humility over power and violence.