St. James the Greater: Son of Thunder

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St. James the Greater, son of Zebedee and Salome, was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ and the elder brother of St. John the Evangelist. He is called “the Greater” to distinguish him from “James the Less,” another apostle. A Galilean fisherman by trade, James left his nets immediately when Christ called, becoming one of the first disciples to follow the Lord (Matt. 4:21–22).

He, along with Peter and John, formed Christ’s inner circle. James witnessed the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the Lord’s Transfiguration, and the Agony in the Garden—privileged glimpses of both glory and sorrow. Yet Scripture also shows his boldness: when a Samaritan town rejected Jesus, James and John asked if they should call down fire from heaven (Luke 9:54). Christ rebuked them—but the nickname “Sons of Thunder” (Mark 3:17) stuck, revealing their fiery zeal.

In Matthew 20, James’s mother asks Jesus to grant her sons places of honor in His Kingdom. Jesus answers with a question: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” James replies yes. He would indeed drink that cup. In 44 A.D., under Herod Agrippa, James became the first Apostle to be martyred, executed by the sword (Acts 12:2).

Tradition—strong in both Spanish and medieval sources—holds that before his martyrdom, James preached the Gospel in Hispania, modern-day Spain. After his death, his disciples are said to have brought his body back to Galicia, where his relics now rest in Santiago de Compostela. This site became one of the greatest pilgrimage destinations of Christendom. The Camino de Santiago—“Way of St. James”—has drawn millions seeking conversion, healing, and deeper faith.

James’s legacy is that of courageous discipleship. Though imperfect, he became a martyr, evangelist, and intercessor. He is patron of Spain, laborers, and pilgrims. His life reminds us that greatness in the Kingdom comes not by status, but by surrender.

📅 Feast Day: July 25
✝️ Patron of: Spain, pilgrims, laborers
🎖 Legacy: First apostolic martyr, Camino pilgrimage, apostle to the West