James the Greater

Also known as: one of the Sons of Thunder; Jacobus Major; Iago; Santiago
Memorial: 25 July; formerly 5 August
Profile: 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.
Died: 44 at Jerusalem; stabbed with a sword by King Herod Agrippa; 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
Canonized: Pre-Congregation
Patronage: against arthritis; against rheumatism; Altopascio, Lucca, Italy; Antigua, Guatemala; apothecaries; arthritis sufferers; diocese of Bangued, Philippines; blacksmiths; Chile; Compostela, Spain; druggists; equestrians; furriers; Galicia, Spain; Guatemala; Hettstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; horsemen; Jemez Indian Pueblo; knights; laborers; Loiza, Puerto Rico; Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina; Montreal, Canada; Nicaragua; pharmacists; pilgrims; Pistoia, Italy; rheumatoid sufferers; riders; Sahuayo, Mexico; archdiocese of Seattle, Washington; soldiers; Spain; Spanish conquistadors; tanners; Tesuque Indian Pueblo; veterinarians
Prayers: Prayer to...
Representation: cockle shell; dark-bearded man holding a book; dark-bearded man holding a scroll; dark-bearded man holding a sword; dark-bearded man with a floppy pilgrim's hat, long staff, water bottle, and scallop shell; elderly, bearded man wearing a hat with a scallop shell; key; man with shells around him; mounted on horseback, trampling a Moor; pilgrim with wallet and staff; pilgrim's hat; pilgrim's staff; scallop shell; sword
Images: Gallery of images of Saint James [84kb]
Storefront: Commercial Links related to Saint James
Additional Information: Google Directory
Goffine's Devout Instructions
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