St. Stephen King of Hungary, introduced Christianity into his native land. Pope Sylvester II gave him the privilege of having a cross carried before him like an archbishop. He did all that an apostle could do for his country. By his example and his influence he induced the nobles and the people to embrace the Catholic Faith; he gave Christian legislation to the kingdom; he founded and endowed Episcopal sees, not only in Hungary but even in Constantinople, Jerusalem, Ravenna, and Rome.

St. Stephen, seven years before his death, saw his young and most innocent son Emerich, an angel of purity and holiness, whom God glorified by many miracles, precede him on the way to heaven. He followed him to the tomb on August 15, 1034, but Innocent XI appointed his feast to be kept on September 2, in memory of the victory, which the Christian army won over the Turks at Budapest on this day.

(Source: The New Roman Missal, Rev. F. X. Lasance)