Augustine of Hippo, on Ps 114:15

“But the truth was revealed to the man who pointed out the things that were discovered. The place, you see, was indicated by preceding signs; and it was discovered to be just as it had been revealed in them. Many people received relics from there, because that was God's will, and they came as far as here. So both this place and this day is being commended to your graces'91 devotion; each is to be celebrated to the honor of God, whom Stephen confessed. After all, we have not built an altar in this place to Stephen, but an altar to God from Stephen's relics. Altars of this kind are pleasing to God. You ask why? Because "precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Those who shed their blood for their Redeemer were redeemed by his blood. He shed his as the redemptive price of their salvation; the martyrs shed theirs as a means of spreading his gospel. They gave him something in exchange, but not from their own resources; their ability to do so, after all, was his gift; and for that to be done that could be done by them was his gift. As a mark of his favor, he proved them with the occasion of their martyrdom. It happened, they suffered, they trampled on the world.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.