St. James whose shrine is at Santiago de Compostela, in
north-west Spain, was the brother of John (possibly the
Evangelist). The Gospels 11) record that they were
fishermen, the sons of Zebedee, partners with Simon
Peter, and called by Jesus from mending their nets beside
the sea of Galilee at the beginning of his ministry. The
Gospel lists of the Twelve (Matthew 10, 2-4; Mark 3, 14-19;
Luke 6, 13-16) all include James and John among the first
four, and from one of them (Mark 3,17) we learn that Jesus
nicknamed them 'the sons of thunder’.
James and John were present at the healing of Peter's
mother-in-law, and at the raising of Jairus's daughter. They
are described in private conversation with Jesus on the
Mount of Olives. They were also present, with Peter (but
not Andrew), at the Transfiguration, a key event in Jesus's
life, and again, the same three disciples are called apart
from the others in Gethsemane.
Their mother Salome - or they themselves - asked Jesus
to accord them places on his right and his left when he
came into his kingdom, when they also declared
themselves ready to drink from the same cup as Jesus -
i.e. to accept martyrdom. Finally, the sons of Zebedee are
specifically mentioned as present at one of the post-
resurrection appearances (John 21, 2), on the lakeshore of
Tiberias; and among those gathered in the upper room
after the ascension.
He is known as James the Great to distinguish him from
James the Less, or James the brother of the Lord (also
called by Eusebius James the Just) who became a pillar of
the Jerusalem community, and is thought to have been the
first bishop of Jerusalem.
The only certain fact recorded of James afterwards is his
martyrdom (Acts 12, 1-2) at the hands of Herod Agrippa I
(r. 41-44 A.D.).
His followers are believed to have carried his body down
to the coast and put it into a stone boat, which was carried
by angels and the wind beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the
straits of Gibraltar), to land near Finisterre, at Padrón, on
the Atlantic coast of northern Spain. The local Queen,
Lupa, provided the team of oxen used to draw the body
from Padrón to the site of the marble tomb (Arca
Marmorica), a little way inland, which she had also
provided. The saint was believed to have been buried with
two of his own disciples, Athanasius and Theodore. The
site of his tomb was forgotten for some 800 years.
Early in the 9th century a hermit, Pelayo, was led by a
vision to the spot. The tomb was rediscovered, and the
relics authenticated as those of St James by the local
bishop. Spain at this period sorely needed a new
champion or focus to inspire Christians against the
invading Moors. The rediscovery came therefore at a most
propitious moment.
Walking the Via de la Plata (which follows the Roman
road north from Seville) today gives you a vivid
impression of the Spain James (or Paul) would have
known.