St. James the Greater

  Posted on August 24, 2024  by admin  No comments

Died: stabbed with a sword by King Herod Agrippa I in 44 at Jerusalem, legend says his body was taken by angels, and sailed in a rudderless, unattended boat to Spain where a massive rock closed around it, relics at Compostela, Spain

Patronage: against arthritis or rheumatism, apothecaries, druggists or pharmacists, arthritis and rheumatism sufferers, blacksmiths, equestrians, horsemen, riders, furriers, knights, laborers, pilgrims, soldiers, tanners, veterinarians, Spanish conquistadors, Chile, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Spain, archdiocese of Seattle, Washington, diocese of Bangued, Philippines, 20 cities.

Also known as Jacobus de Oudere, Jacobus Major, Jakobus der Ältere, James Major, James the Elder, James the More, James the son of Zebedee, James, son of Zebedee, Santiago de España, Son of Thunder, Iago, Santiago

Additional Memorials 30 December (translation of relics; Mozarabic rite), 3 January (translation of relics to the monastery of Saint Vaast), 30 April (Orthodox), 29 December (Armenian), 12 April (Coptic), 27 December (Syrian Orthodox)

Son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of Saint John the Apostle, and may have been Jesus’ cousin. He is called “the Greater” simply because he became an Apostle before Saint James the Lesser. Apparent disciple of Saint John the Baptist. Fisherman. He left everything when Christ called him to be a fisher of men. Was present during most of the recorded miracles of Christ. Preached in Samaria, Judea, and Spain. First Apostle to be martyred. The pilgrimage to his relics in Compostela became such a popular devotion that the symbols of pilgrims have become his emblems, and he became patron of pilgrims. His work in Spain, and the housing of his relics there, led to his patronage of the country and all things Spanish; for centuries, the Spanish army rode to battle with the cry “Santiago!” (“Saint James!”) Like all men of renown, many stories grew up around James. In one, he brought back to life a boy who had been unjustly hanged, and had been dead for five weeks. The boy’s father was notified of the miracle while he sat at supper. The father pronounced the story nonsense, and said his son was no more alive than the roasted fowl on the table; the cooked bird promptly sat up, sprouted feathers, and flew away.