About St.

James the Greater 

St. James the Greater was one of Jesus’ first disciples. He died in 44 A.D. He gave up his life
for the Faith as a martyr.

Though little is known about the early life of St. James the Greater, it is known that he was a
son of Zebedee, and that Salome was his mother. James the Greater was also the brother of
St. John the Evangelist, most likely the older brother.

It is also known that James was a Galilean. He was known to be of an energetic and
vehement temper. He and St. John were called “Sons of Thunder” because of this impetuous
character.

The title “the Greater” is attributed to St. James to distinguish him from another of Jesus’
disciples, who is called St. James the Less. It is commonly thought that St. James the Greater
was taller than St. James the Less.

According to Scripture, James was a fisherman. He was with his father and his brother, St.
John, when Jesus caused Simon Peter to catch a miraculous large catch of fish. Then, Jesus
called James, along with Peter and John, to be His disciples.

James is mentioned again in Scripture on the occasion of Jesus’ Transfiguration. James was
one of three Apostles to witness Jesus’ Transfiguration. James was also one of three
Apostles to witness Jesus raising Jairus’s daughter.

Scripture also says that James and his brother John were full of indignation at a Samaritan
town that refused to receive Jesus. James and John wanted to call down fire on that town,
but Jesus rebuked them. 

The mother of Sts. James and John is also mentioned in Scripture as requesting that her two
sons sit on either side of Jesus when He should come into His Kingdom. The Gospel of Mark
indicates that they shared their mother’s ambition for themselves, and that they still did
not understand the spiritual character of Jesus’ mission. When Jesus asks James and John if
they are ready to drink the chalice that He drinks, they say that they are ready. 

After Jesus’ Death, Resurrection, and Ascension, James preached and conducted missionary
work in Israel and the Roman empire. Then, he traveled to Spain and worked to spread the
Gospel there for almost forty years.

Tradition says that the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to James one day while he was
praying. She asked him to build a church in her honor, and he did so.
James later went back to Jerusalem. There, King Herod had him beheaded on account of
James’ Christian Faith, in the year 44 A.D. James was the first Apostle to be martyred. 

James’ followers were forbidden from burying his body after his martyrdom, so they
brought his remains to Compostela, Spain. They buried him there.

During the ninth century, St. James’ remains were transferred to a tomb in Santiago de
Compostela. His remains are currently in the Cathedral of Santiago.