I. JAMES, surnamed major, or the Elder, to distinguish him from James minor, or the younger, was brother to St. John the Matth. iv. 21.Evangelist, and son to Zebedee and Salome. He was of Bethsaida in Galilee, and left every thing to follow Jesus Christ. His mother Salome, who was one of those women that attended our Saviour in his journeys, desired of him one day, that her two sons James and John might be seated at his right hand, when he should be in possession of his kingdom. But the Son of God replied, that it was only in the power of his Heavenly Father to dispose of these places of honour. St. James and his Matth. xx. 21.brother St. John, before their vocation, carried on the trade of fishermen with Zebedee their father; nor did they absolutely quit their profession till our Saviour called them, as they were in their boat busied in refitting their nets. They were witnesses of our Lord’s transfiguration; and when certain Samaritans refused to admit Mark i. 18, 19. Matth. xvii. 2. Luke ix. 54.Jesus Christ into their town, James and John importuned him to cause fire to descend from heaven in order to consume them. For this reason it is thought the name of Boanerges, or son of thunder was given them. But our Saviour checked their zeal, telling them that they knew not what spirit did or ought to animate them.
Some days after the Resurrection of our Saviour, James and John went a fishing in the Sea of Tiberias. They were present at the Ascension of our Lord, and St. James Sophron. de Viris illustr. c. 5. p. 264.is said to have preached to all the twelve Tribes of Israel dispersed throughout the World. But for this there is no other certainty than bare hearsay. His martyrdom is related in the Acts of the Apostles, and Acts xii. 1, 2, &c.happened in the 42 or 44 year of Jesus Christ; for the date of this particular is not well agreed upon. Herod Agrippa King of the Jews, and grandson to Herod the Great, had him seized, and executed at Jerusalem; and as he observed his death to be agreeable to the Jews, he proceeded to lay hold also on St. Peter. Clemens Clem. Alex. apud Euseb. l. 2. c. 9.Alexandrinus informs us, that he who brought St. James before the Judges, was so affected with his constancy in confessing Jesus Christ, that he too declared himself to be a Christian, and was condemned as well as the other to be beheaded. As they went together to the place of execution, this man asked forgiveness of St. James; who deliberated a little with himself, whether he should treat one as a brother, who as yet had not received the Sacrament of Jesus Christ. But after a short pause, he embraced him, and said, Peace be with you: after which both their heads were struck off.
The Greeks observe his Festival upon the 30th of April, and the Latins on the 25th of July. St. Epiphanius1 says, that St. James as well as John, both continued always single: that they never had their hair cut, never bathed, wore only a single Tunick, and a linnen Cloak, and never eat either fish or flesh. The Spaniards pretend that this Saint is the first Apostle of their Country, and that his body was brought thither soon after his death: particulars, for which they produce not any good proofs. It is certain that his Relicks have been in great repute, and very much reverenced in this country, every since the ninth century2.
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