A
protomartyr (
Koine Greek,
πρότος prótos "first" +
μάρτυρας mártyras "
martyr") is the first
Christian martyr in a country or among a particular group, such as a
religious order. Similarly, the phrase
the Protomartyr (with no other qualification of country or region) can mean
Saint Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian church or
Saint Thecla, the first female martyr of the Christian church.