Saint Who?
Saints Who Were Writers
Saint Stephen of Perm
Bishop († 1396)Feast: April 26
Stephen was born in Russia and became a monk in the city of Rostov-on-Don. He was probably about thirty years old when he left his monastery to preach the Gospel to the Zyrian people in the nearby Ural mountains.
Stephen himself was apparently born into a Zyrian family, but he had learned Russian as a boy and had learned Greek after entering the monastery. He recognized that it was difficult for the Zyrians to embrace the Gospel because they spoke their own language. So, just like Saints Cyril and Methodius before him, Stephen sought to attract unbelievers to the faith through the beauty and solemnity of the liturgy. Also like those great Slavic missionaries, he celebrated the liturgy in their native language. Since the Zyrians did not even have a written language, he decided to give them one.
Stephen was so concerned about respecting Zyrian traditions that he did not use an existing alphabet. Instead, he used designs from their culture to create for them their own alphabet, which he used to write down the words of the liturgy and the Bible. Stephen was ordained the first bishop of Perm and died after serving his people for more than two decades.
Lord God, help us to become all things to all people
to spread your Gospel.
