From the story of his life
On this day, let us celebrate the holiness of the son of Zebedee, also known as the apostle, fisherman, and brother John the Evangelist.
In Bethsaida, on the Lake of Gennesaret, our saint of the day was born.
St. James Zebedee, along with his brother, St. John… He was called by Christ himself to follow and act as an apostle in the year 28, as the Gospel of Matthew in particular testifies to us (Mt 4:21-22).
In addition to St. Peter and John, the apostles, belongs to the closest circle of Jesus’ followers. He is thus present at the resurrection of Jairus’ daughter, the transfiguration of Jesus at Tabor, and the mortal battle in Gethsemane. He was almost fiery and impetuous (Lk 9:54-56).
Thanks to the Acts of the Apostles, we learn that in 44 A.D., in Judea, he was executed by the sword by King Herod Agrippa. The soldier who arrested James, seeing in particular how courageously he received the death sentence, begged forgiveness and became a Christian, while the Apostle himself kissed him, saying to him: Peace be with you. Thus, both of them were beheaded.
© View of the Gothic stone church of St. James the Great with a door and two holy statues in Petrovice in the middle of a winter day with blue sky and white clouds in Prague (Czech Republic)
He is usually depicted as a passenger with a staff in his hand, while in others he is depicted with a sword, reminiscent of his execution by the sword.
He is the first of the apostles to suffer a martyr’s death.
St. will say. John Chrysostom: … He had abandoned all that was human, and had risen to an unspeakable height, and was soon executed.
His body was later transferred to Compostela (Spain), while in the Middle Ages his tomb became, along with Rome and Jerusalem, the holiest place of pilgrimage – Santiago de Compostela.
Invoked for arthritis and rheumatic diseases… patron saint of Spain, Chile… travelers, pilgrims; knights, soldiers; Pharmacist… farmers, farmers, riders… as well as many cities, settlements, parishes, churches and chapels around the world… May he protect us and accompany us with his holy intercession.
PRAYER
Almighty eternal God, St. James was the first of the apostles to confirm his witness to Christ by his martyr’s death. May your Church be strengthened by his courage and protected by his intercession. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen.
Sources:
- http://zupajastrebarsko.hr/
- Holy choir for worship (2017.); Časoslov Rimskog Obreda, Kršćanska sadašnjost, Zagreb