I copied this entirely from another blogger as posted in a Camino newsletter I subscribe to…

History of the Apostle Saint James the Greater

Quick facts about Saint James the Apostle:

• The patron of Pilgrims and Spain
• Memorial Day / Feast Day: July 25th
• Named by Jesus as one of the Sons of Thunder
• Date of Death: Saint James the Greater died in A.D. 44
• Cause of Death: Beheaded

Who or what is a patron saint and what is Saint James the Greater the patron saint of?

 A patron saint is considered to be a defender of a specific group of people or of a nation. There is a patron saint for virtually every cause, profession or special interest. Prayers are considered more likely to be answered by asking a patron saint for intercession on their behalf.  Saint James the Greater is the patron saint of pilgrims and Spain.  The Story of Saint James the Greater

Saint James the Greater, was one of the disciples of Jesus. He was prominent amongst the twelve apostles. He was the son of Zebedee and was considered the greater (in height) apostle of those called James. James is thought to be a cousin of Jesus, by the sister of the Virgin Mary, and the brother of Saint Jude Thaddeus. James worked as a fisherman with his brother John, his father Zebedee and his partner Simon. John and James were followers of John the Baptist and then Jesus.  James along with his brother John left his life as a fisherman when Jesus called him to be a fisher of men. He followed Jesus as one of his disciples until Jesus was crucified. James the Greater was chosen by Jesus to be one of the twelve apostles and was given the mission to spread the gospel of Jesus. He made a pilgrimage to Spain to spread the word when he returned to Judea, he was beheaded by King Herod Agrippa I (10 BC – 44 AD) in the year 44. This is detailed in the Bible in Acts 12 of the New Testament. The remains, or relics, of Saint James the Greater  where then transported by his followers to the Iberian Peninsula (today’s Galicia) and are said to be buried in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (Spain) explaining why Saint James the Greater is the patron saint of Spain.

The Legend of Saint James the Greater

Saint James, or according to the Spanish form of his name, St. lago, is also the great military patron of Spain. His mission to defend the Christian Church against the Infidel was however reserved until after his death. In the course of the celebrated battle of Clavijo he suddenly appeared on a milk-white charger, waving aloft a white standard, and leading the Christians to victory. This manifestation was in response to the soldiers’ invocation of his name, “Sant lago!” being the battle-cry of that day. Hence the name of the ancient city (Santiago) which contains the cathedral founded in his honour.

Death of Saint James the Greater

There are two categories of saints: martyrs and confessors. A Christian martyr is regarded as one who is put to death for his Christian faith or convictions. Confessors are people who died natural deaths. Date of Death: Saint James the Greater died in A.D. 44. Cause of Death: Beheaded, hence he is a martyr.

Why is Saint James the Greater the patron of Pilgrims and Spain?

Saint James the Greater is universally regarded as the patron of pilgrims because after establishing the Christian religion in the Iberian Peninsual, he returned to Judaea on a pilgrimage and was there beheaded. The scallop-shell is the recognized symbol of all pilgrims on the Camino, as it is found on the shores of Galicia. When returning to their own countries pilgrims displayed the scallop-shell in their hats, to show that they had carried out their pious intentions.

How Saint James the Greater is represented in Christian Art

It is helpful to be able to recognise Saint James the Greater in paintings, stained glass windows, illuminated manuscripts, architecture and other forms of Christian art. The artistic representations reflect the life or death of saints, or an aspect of life with which the person is most closely associated. Saint James the Greater is represented in Christian Art in the garb of a pilgrim, with staff, gourd, and scallop-shell.  Saint James is often also depicted riding a white horse into battle.

Feast Day of Saint James the Greater

The Feast Day of Saint James the Greater is July 25th.

The origin of Feast Days

Most saints have specially designated feast days that are associated with a specific day of the year. The feast days first arose from the very early Christian custom of the annual commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the same time celebrating their birth into heaven.

Posted By:

Gail Delahunt

Travel marketing executive, originally from Tipperary (as the song goes, it’s a long way to Tipperary). Enjoys photography and hiking around the world, visited 5 of the 7 continents. Plans to visit Antarctica very soon.