St James (The Greater - Son of Zebedee)

25th July

St. James (The Greater – Son of Zebedee) 

Join me in celebrating today the Feast of 'St. James the greater: one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ'. He was born into the family of Zebedee and Salome with his brother John (the Evangelist), both of them are popularly known as 'the sons of Zebedee'.  James is called ‘the greater’  because he became an Apostle before James ‘the lesser’ son of Alphaeus. 

There is one popular incident in the gospel of Matthew 20:20-28, Christ replied: 'the cup that I drink  you shall drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptised, you shall be baptised.' Christ prophesied great blessings for them, they suffered great martyrdom and died a violent death for which they are now venerated all over the world. James was the first of the apostles to answer the call of Eternity. He was martyred by King Herod about the year 44 in Jerusalem, and is venerated especially at Compostela in Spain where there is a magnificent church dedicated in his honour, which has attracted millions of pilgrims from all over the world - Santiago de Compostela. 

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.

I am honoured to have him as my patron saint. May God, through the intercession of St. James, bless your  going and coming and may He never cease to be by your side in your time of need. Have a blessed day! Happy feast day to all that bears the name James!

Patronage

• against arthritis or rheumatism

• apothecaries, druggists or pharmacists

• arthritis and rheumatism sufferers

• blacksmiths

• equestrians, horsemen, riders

• furriers

• knights

• labourers

• pilgrims

• soldiers

• tanners

• veterinarians

• Spanish conquistadors

• Chile

• Guatemala

• Nicaragua

• Spain

• archdiocese of Seattle, Washington

• diocese of Bangued, Philippines

• 20 cities

Representation

• key

• pilgrim with wallet and staff

• pilgrim's hat

• pilgrim's staff

• sword

• cloak

• cockle shell

• dark-bearded man holding a book

• dark-bearded man holding a sword

• dark-bearded man holding a scroll

• 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

• long cape

• man mounted on horseback, trampling a Moor

• man holding the long staff of a pilgrim from which a wallet or gourd of water is suspended

• man with a thin beard, and the hair parted in the middle and flowing down on each side

• man with shells around him

• pilgrim of Compostela

• scallop shell

• scallop shell on his flapped hat

• scallop shell on his shoulder

Remain blessed 

Fr. James Anyaegbu