Saint James the Greater

Feast Day: July 25

• St. James the Greater was born in Bethsaida, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee, around the year AD 5. He was the son of Zebedee, a prosperous fisherman, and was the elder brother of St. John the Apostle. James and John, along with their father, were fishermen by trade and worked alongside St. Peter and his brother Andrew.

• James was called by Jesus to be one of His apostles while mending nets by the sea. He immediately left his livelihood and family to follow Christ. James, along with Peter and John, became some of Jesus' closest friends and disciples and witnessed several significant events, such as the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and Jesus' Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

• Jesus gave James and his brother John the nickname "Boanerges," meaning "Sons of Thunder," due to their zealous and fiery faith. It was part of the brothers' destiny to follow Jesus devoutly, and they asked the Lord if they may sit at His' right and left in glory. Jesus responded by foretelling their future suffering for His sake.

• After Jesus' resurrection and ascension, St. James played a crucial role in the early Church. He was the first of the apostles to be martyred for the faith. Around 44 AD, King Herod Agrippa I ordered his execution by the sword in Jerusalem, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 12:1-2).

• According to tradition, after his death, James' disciples carried his body to Spain, where he had earlier preached the Gospel. They buried him in what is now the town of Santiago de Compostela. Over time, his tomb became a major pilgrimage site, the culmination of what is known as the Camino de Santiago or the Way of St. James. The pilgrimage remains one of the most important in Christianity, drawing thousands of pilgrims annually.

• Being an important intercessory saint to Spanish Christians warriors during the Reconquista, St. James' name was often invoked in battle as a war cry. They would shout "Santiago!", which in English means, "St. James!"

• St. James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain, pilgrims, and laborers. He is often depicted as a pilgrim, wearing a wide-brimmed hat, a scallop shell, and carrying a staff. The scallop shell, known as the "Coquille St. Jacques," is the symbol of pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago.

• St. James's feast day is celebrated on July 25th, and it is a significant religious and cultural event in Spain, particularly in Galicia, where the town of Santiago de Compostela is located.

Saint James the Greater, pray for us!