St. James the Apostle

Among the twelve apostles, three were chosen as the familiar companions of our blessed Lord and of these James was one. He, alone with Peter and John, were admitted to the house of Jairus when the dead woman was raised to life.

They alone were taken up to the high mountain, and saw the face of Jesus shining as the sun, and His garments white as snow and these three alone witnessed His agony of Gethsemane. It was James who demanded fire from Heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritans, and who sought the place of honor by Christ in His Kingdom.

When St. James was brought before King Herod Agrippa, his fearless confession of Jesus crucified so moved the public prosecutor that he declared himself a Christian on the spot. Accused and accuser were hurried off together to execution, and on the road the prosecutor begged for James' forgiveness. The Apostle had long since forgiven him, but hesitated for a moment whether publicly to accept as a brother one still un-baptized. God quickly recalled to him the Church's faith, that the blood of martyrdom supplies for every sacrament, and, falling on his companion's neck, he embraced him, with the words, "Peace be with you!" Together then they knelt for the sword, and together received martyrdom.

His relics are in Compostela Spain where his a patron saint of pilgrims. The Spanish army would ride into battle with the cry "Santiago!" (Saint James)

* Feast Day:  July 25
* Name Meaning:  "The Supplanter"
* Patron Saint of:  arthritis suffers, pharmacists