SAINT OF THE DAY: St. James, pray for us!
St. James the Greater (died 44 AD) is the brother of St. John the Apostle, and was one of Jesus’s original 12 Apostles. The title “Greater” was added to distinguish him from St. James the Lesser, and is believed not to concern status or holiness, but physical height. Besides being the son of Zebedee, what is known of St. James’s life comes after he and his brother were called to leave their father and their nets and follow after Jesus. James was one of the three apostles invited to witness the miraculous Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. As well, his righteous anger at seeing a Samaritan town reject Jesus inspired him to ask Jesus to call down fire on the town, which Jesus gently rebuked. Following Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension, James preached the Gospel across the Roman empire before traveling to Spain, where he spread the Gospel for many years. The famous “Camino de Santiago” pilgrimage path in Spain is named in his honor (Santiago is Spanish for James). At the end of his life, James returned to Jerusalem, where he was the first apostle to be martyred. His feast day is July 25th.
