St. James R. C. Church at 429 Route 25a E, Setauket, NY 11733 US - St. James, Our Patron Saint

St. James, the brother of St. John, is called the Greater to distiguish him from the other apostle James, who was younger than he. He worked as a fisherman with his brother and father and may have lived at Bethsaida. After calling St. Peter and St. Andrew to follow him, Jesus saw James, John, and Zebedee mending their nets on a ship; he called them also, and they followed him. James was present at the raising of the daughter of Jairus from the dead. Jesus called James and John "Boanerges" -sons of thunder- apparently a comment on their quick tempers. James and John were the only apostles present at the Transfiguration and the Passion. After the Ascension, nothing is known for sure of his missionary activity. According to one tradition, he preached in Spain. He was the first martyr among the apostles, dying by beheading in Jerusalem under King Herod Agrieppa I. He was buried in Jerusalem, but his body was said to have been translated to El Padron in Galicia, and then to Compostela, which became the greatest pilgrimage site after Jerusalem and Rome. In the Middle Ages, he was one of the most popular Spanish saints and was frequently invoked against the Mohammedans. There are stories that he made appearances during battles against the Moors. He is the patron saint of pilgrims, Spain, and Gautemala and Nicaragua (former Spanish dominions). He is portrayed in art as an elderly, bearded man, with a hat with a scallop shell (associated with Compostela); or with a shell or shells around him, or as a pilgrim with a wallet and staff, or being beheaded by a sword.

(Back)