ST. JAMES THE GREATER (JULY 25TH)

Contemporary Byzantine-Style Icon of St. James the Greater

Edited by Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

On this blessed day, the 25th of July, we celebrate the feast of St. James the Greater, one of the Twelve Apostles, a pillar of the early Church, and cornerstone in the House of Faith. St. James, son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of St. John the Theologian, is remembered with reverence and awe, his life a testament to the transformative power of Christ’s call.

St. James, called from his nets on the Sea of Galilee, responded with immediate zeal, leaving behind his livelihood to follow the Master. Alongside Peter and John, he witnessed the Transfiguration, beholding the divine glory of Christ, a foretaste of the Kingdom. His fervor and loyalty earned him the epithet "Boanerges," meaning "Son of Thunder," highlighting his passionate and easily angered nature.

St. James' significance extends beyond his immediate discipleship. He is honored as a progenitor of liturgical tradition, with the Divine Liturgy of St. James bearing his name. This ancient rite, rich in solemnity and beauty, stands as one of the oldest Eucharistic services, a bridge between Hebrew Temple worship, the early Church's prayers, and our present devotions in the later liturgies that sprang out of its wellspring. It embodies the spirit of the apostolic era, a liturgy steeped in reverence, echoing the prayers and hymns that St. James himself offered in the Church, Synagogue and Jerusalem Temple. 

St. James' influence radiates through the Syriac tradition, where his legacy is particularly cherished. His grandsons and great-grandsons carried forth his missionary zeal, becoming bishops and establishing churches in Edessa, Ctesiphon, and throughout Mesopotamia. These missionary bishops, descendants of St. James, were instrumental in spreading the Gospel to the East, planting seeds of faith that would blossom into vibrant Christian communities. Their contribution would be remembered at the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, held in AD 410, when the direct connection with St. James was invoked by all the bishops present as proof of their direct connection to Christ and their co-equal authority within the Universal Church. 

As we reflect on St. James the Greater's life and legacy, we are drawn to a deeper appreciation of his role in the divine plan. His martyrdom, under Herod Agrippa, marked the first apostolic bloodshed, sealing his testimony with the ultimate sacrifice. Yet, in his death, the seeds of faith were sown, blossoming into a harvest of saints and martyrs, missionaries and bishops.

COLLECT

O GRACIOUS FATHER, who didst endow thy holy Apostle St. James with zeal and courage to follow Christ even unto death: Grant us, we beseech thee, the same steadfastness of faith and fervor of spirit, that we, being inspired by his example and aided by his prayers, may walk in the way of thy commandments and bear witness to thy truth with boldness and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.