Saint James the Greater

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I’m writing this as a way to distinguish between St. James the Greater and St. James the Less. One has a feast day which is today, July 25th. One wrote the Book of James in the New Testament. I know one of them is one of the sons of Zebedee and the brother of St. John the Evangelist and the one whose relics pilgrims who travel the Way of St. James in northwestern Spain visit. And the other isn’t. 

Okay, so I hit the Internet. I hear it’s a decent source for information on things.

St. James the Greater is the first of the Apostles to be martyred. Prior to that he evangelized Spain. Legend holds he wasn’t very good at it but he still loved the Spanish and after his martyrdom his disciples took his remains to Spain to be entombed there. There are numerous legends surrounding his relationship with Spain. Many modernist claim they’re all false. But that’s what modernists do. One of the legends is that the first Marian Apparition ever was to him. (Modernists really go on about denying that one!)

Tradition says that in the early day of the Church, Saint James the Greater was spreading the Gospel in Spain, but making very little progress. He was dejected and questioning his mission. About 44, the Virgin Mary, who was still living in Jerusalem at the time, bi-located and appeared to him in a vision to boost his morale. In it, she was atop a column or pillar, which was being carried by angels. That pillar is believed to be the same one venerated in Zaragoza, Spain today. Miraculous healings reported at the scene. 

From: CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Our Lady of the Pillar.

You can read a lot about St. James the Greater here: CatholicSaints.Info » Blog Archive » Saint James the Greater

There. I think I’ve finally gotten it down as to which one is which. (It helps me to remember things when I can attach the thing to another thing. So, the GREATER is attached to the blogpost.) St. James the Greater is the July 25th and Camino one. Watch me, I’ll still mix ‘em up. 

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