St. James, called the Greater, preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, and Spain. On his return to Jerusalem, Herod condemned him to death: he was beheaded in 42. His body was conveyed to Compostella in Spain, and is venerated by many pilgrims.
St. Christopher, Martyr. The name Christopher means “Christ-bearer.” He suffered martyrdom at Lycia, in Asia Minor, under Decius in 250.
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Among the twelve, three were chosen as the familiar companions of our blessed Lord, and of these JAMES was one. He alone, with Peter and John, was admitted to the house of Jairus when the dead maiden was raised to life. They alone were taken up to the high mountain apart, and saw the face of Jesus shining as the sun, and His garments white as snow; and these three alone witnessed the fearful agony in Gethsemane. What was it that won James a place among the favorite three? Faith, burning, impetuous, and outspoken, but which needed purifying before the “Son of Thunder” could proclaim the gospel of peace. 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. Yet Our Lord, in rebuking his presumption, prophesied his faithfulness to death. 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 latter begged pardon of the Saint. The apostle had long since forgiven him, but hesitated for a moment whether publicly to accept as a brother one still unbaptized. 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 thee!” Together then they knelt for the sword, and together received the crown.
Reflection—We must all desire a place in the kingdom of our Father; but can we drink the chalice which He holds out to each? “Possumus,” we must say with St. James—“We can”—but only in the strength of Him Who has drunk it first for us.
St. James stands between Islam and Europe and the Americas.
Mark
There is a lot to St James or Santiago. In Spain his statue if found in two principal forms. One is the pilgrim and teacher of Christianity. The second is Saint James the Slayer of Moors (Yes, Muslims....and it is complicated). My shell has they symbol of St James on it, which is the blood red “sword” of St. James that looks to some like a cross at first glance.