Saint of the Day for 25 July: St James the Greater
The apostle of courage and faithfulness to Christ
Name
St James the Greater
Title
Apostle
Birth
Bethsaida
Death
c. 43, Jerusalem
Recurrence
25 July
Martyrology
2004 edition
Prayer
O glorious St. James, who by your purity and zeal merited to be by Jesus Christ not only raised to the rank of Apostle, but among the Apostles themselves privileged of his most intimate confidences, obtain for us all the grace to be by our life truly Christian, deserving of the most elect and singular graces. You, in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to many peoples, instil in the hearts of all the deepest veneration for the Blessed Virgin Mary, obtain for us all a great zeal for the sanctification of our brethren. And since, after having borne for love of Jesus Christ the greatest labours and faced the greatest dangers, you then had the honour of being the first to seal the Faith with blood, obtain for us all the grace of always bearing in peace the labours and travails of this earth, and especially the salvation of the soul. So be it.
Patron saint of
Pistoia, Casalnuovo di Napoli, Caltagirone, Massarosa, Beinasco, Alpignano, Reggello, Altopascio, Calvizzano, Rivarolo Canavese
Protector of
shoemakers, hatters, knights, grocers, pharmacists, pilgrims, perfumers, soldiers, veterinarians, travellers
Roman Martyrology
Feast of St James, Apostle, who, son of Zebedee and brother of St John the Evangelist, witnessed with Peter and John the Lord’s transfiguration and agony. Beheaded by Herod Agrippa close to the feast of Easter, he received, first among the Apostles, the crown of martyrdom.
The Saint and Mission
St James the Greater was an apostle and missionary ardent in spreading the message of Christ to the world. His mission was to proclaim the Gospel and bring the light of truth to all the people he met along his path. As one of Jesus’ first disciples, St James lived personally with the Master, learning from him the importance of witnessing to the faith with zeal and dedication. After Jesus’ death and resurrection, St James continued to pursue the evangelical mission, travelling to distant lands to proclaim the good news of salvation. His mission was guided by love of Christ and love of neighbour. He worked tirelessly to transform hearts and souls, inviting people to convert, believe in the Gospel and follow Christ as the only Saviour. The figure of St James challenges us to reflect on our mission as Christians in the world. He invites us to be courageous witnesses of Christ, bringing the light of the Gospel through our words and actions. We can follow the example of St James in our daily lives, putting our faith into action, serving others with love and seeking to bring the joy and hope of Christ to all those around us. May the example of St James the Greater inspire us to live our mission with fervour and commitment, witnessing to Christ with our lives and bringing his love and grace to the world.
The Saint and Mercy
St James the Greater was one of the first apostles of Jesus and an example of mercy in his life and mission. As one of Christ’s closest disciples, he learnt from Him the importance of compassion and forgiveness. His mission to spread the Gospel and bring the message of salvation to people was guided by God’s mercy. St James showed great love and care for those most in need, offering comfort, healing and hope. Mercy was at the heart of his ministry as he sought to make everyone experience God’s unconditional love. He invited people to repent of their sins and return to the path of grace and redemption. The figure of St James invites us to reflect on God’s mercy and our call to be merciful to others. He urges us to forgive, to love and to be patient, following the example of Christ who taught us to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. We can follow the example of St James in our daily lives, seeking to be merciful to those around us, to be instruments of reconciliation and love. God’s mercy is a gift we can share with the world, bringing hope and healing to those in need.
Hagiography
S. James the Greater was one of the twelve Apostles. Because the Samaritans had not wanted to receive the disciples sent by Jesus, James, with his brother John, approached the Divine Master and said to him: “Lord, do you want us to tell the fire to descend from heaven to consume them? “. But Jesus benignly replied: “You do not know what spirit you are of. The Son of Man did not come to lose souls, but to save them. And St. James then showed that he had borne fruit from the eloquent lesson. He was born in Galilee about twelve years before Jesus. He was the brother of St. John, son of Zebedee, a fisherman in…