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About St. James the
Greater
St. James the Greater, along with his brother John were
called by Jesus to become His followers.
Matthew 4:21-22 21Going on from there, he saw two other
brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.
They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing
their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they
left the boat and their father and followed him.
St. James - Friend of Jesus
St. James was of Jesus' best friends, along with Peter
and John.
Jesus thought of them as his closest companions. St.
James, Peter, and John accompanied Jesus for four special
events:
The cure of Peter's mother-in-law by Jesus
Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead
The Transfiguration of Jesus on Mt. Tabor
Jesus' agony in the Garden of Gethsemani
St. James and his companions were witness to the power
that Jesus had over illness and even death. They saw
Jesus as the Messiah and prayed with him.
The Martyrdom of St. James
After the death of Jesus, the apostles spread throughout
the area preaching about Christianity. St. James went
to preach in Spain. Shortly after the apostles began
their mission, the persecutions of the followers of
Jesus began.
King Herod Agrippa I became king of Judea and Samaria
in 41 A.D. and began persecuting Jesus' followers. St.
James the greater was the first apostle to be martyred
for believing in Jesus
Christ. He was beheaded by Herod Agrippa I.
Millions of Catholics make pilgrimages at the Cathedral
of Santiago de Compostela, the burial site of St. James
the Apostle. They recite a St. James prayer and wear
a St. James medal or a St. James pendant in veneration
of the first of Jesus' apostles to die by martyrdom.
St. James Prayer
St. James the Apostle
Chosen among the first
You were the first to drink
The cup of the Master,
And you are the great protector of pilgrims;
Make us strong in the faith
And happy in the hope
On our pilgrim's journey
Following the path of Christian life
And feed us so that
We may finally reach the glory of God the Father. Amen.
(Office of the Pilgrim, Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela)
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