St. James (Son of Alphaeus)

One of the Twelve in Scripture

St. James, son of Alphaeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. He appears by name in each of the New Testament lists of the apostles — in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and the Acts of the Apostles — and he was present with the others in the upper room after the Ascension, awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Beyond this, the Scriptures record nothing specific about him, and he is in that sense a patron of all who serve Christ faithfully without leaving a record in history.

James the Less and the Lord's Brother

He is traditionally called James the Less, a designation as old as the Gospel of Mark, which distinguishes him from James the son of Zebedee, called the Greater; the title likely refers to his being younger or smaller in stature, not to any lesser dignity. A long Western tradition identified him with James "the brother of the Lord," the first bishop of Jerusalem, who presided at the Council of Jerusalem and to whom the Epistle of James is attributed; on that identification he would have been martyred in Jerusalem around the year 62, thrown from the temple parapet and stoned or clubbed to death, as related by the historians Josephus and Hegesippus. Many scholars, however, distinguish the two figures, and the question remains open.

Traditions of Mission and Martyrdom

Of his apostolic labors, hagiographical accounts relate variously that he preached in Judea, Egypt, or Persia before dying a martyr's death. Whatever the precise circumstances, the Church has honored him from the earliest centuries as an apostle and martyr who sealed his witness to the risen Christ with his blood.

Relics with St. Philip in Rome

His relics are venerated together with those of St. Philip in the crypt of the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome, to which they were brought in the sixth century — the reason the two apostles share a feast. The Church celebrates Saints Philip and James together on May 3, and St. James the Less is traditionally invoked as a patron of the dying.

Significance

James shows that faithfulness to Christ does not depend on being remembered. Though the Gospels record little beyond his name and his presence with the apostles awaiting the Holy Spirit, the Church has honored him from the earliest centuries as an apostle who gave his life for the risen Lord. He is a fitting patron for the dying and for all who serve God quietly, trusting that their hidden faithfulness is seen by Him.