Saint of the Day Profile

Catholic Saint of the Day Profile

 

 

Saint James the Greater
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:
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

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 Compostella
    scallop shell
    scallop shell on his flapped hat
    scallop shell on his shoulder

Blog post courtesy:
http://catholicsaints.info/saint-james-the-greater/

Tags:
Saint James the Greater, 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.