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.