October 9th
At the end of his life, he imitated his Lord and Savior with such perfection that he was finally even crucified for his faith!
James, the son of Alphaeus and Mary, was one of the Twelve Apostles – and he was known throughout his life as an especially zealous evangelist who would take any risk in order to spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The blood brother of his fellow-apostle St. Matthew, this ardent disciple grew up in the Galilee region of Palestine and was destined to preach the new faith of the Holy Redeemer in many different parts of the Middle East, before ending his life as a Christian martyr in Egypt.
Legend tells us that James (sometimes called “James the Less” or “James the Younger”) was the most spiritually disciplined of all the disciples – to the point that his kneecaps were said to have become very thick and callused from his endless hours of prayer. A man of austere living habits and deep spiritual commitment, he was described by the great Church historian Eusebius as self-denying and humble, as follows:
“He was always a virgin, and was a Nazarite, or one consecrated to God. In consequence of which he was never shaved, never cut his hair, never drank any wine or other strong liquor; moreover, he never used any bath, or oil to anoint his limbs, and never ate of any living creature except when of precept, as the paschal lamb: he never wore sandals, never used any other clothes than one single linen garment. TAKEN FROM“He prostrated so much in prayer, that the skin of his knees and forehead was hardened like to camels’ hoofs.”
Another legend – unconfirmed by scripture but widely believed by Church historians throughout the ages – is that James served, if briefly, as the first Bishop of the Church in Syria.
St. James was a gifted speaker who had a natural flair for words. According to many observers of the day, he possessed an innate ability to move his listeners to great emotion with the power of his speech. As his long and zealous life unfolded and then finally ended in martyrdom, that talent would be called upon many times.
After the Holy Spirit descended in tongues of flame on the Apostles at Pentecost, it fell to James to begin preaching the Gospel in the Eleutheropolis region of Palestine and then in Egypt. During the years that followed Pentecost – and sometimes accompanied by the Apostle Andrew the First-Called – James accomplished many missionary tasks in Judea, Edessa, Gaza and elsewhere. It wasn’t long before this loyal Apostle demonstrated a native gift for bringing converts to Christ – while also overcoming idolatry and driving out demons and healing the sick. As he wandered the deserts and hills of Palestine, his reputation grew until many knew him by a special name: the Seed Divine.
The fruits of these labors were impressive, indeed, as new believers flocked to James’s side. Again and again, the residents of small villages and towns in the rural areas of Palestine would bring those who were struggling with diseases (or with “unclean spirits”) to this humble, thoughtful man. Invariably, he would first point out that the healing power he possessed depended entirely on God: St. James could do nothing on his own! After praying over the stricken victim, the traveling evangelist would declare the individual to be healed. Amazed, the onlookers would realize that this was no idle boast; the ailing subject of St. James’ prayerful ministrations was suddenly animated and cheerful, and no longer ill.
Refusing all compensation, St. James would then urge the friends and family of the healed person to give thanks to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who had once again shown His love and His mercy. Is it any wonder that James the Less soon became a powerful advocate for the Holy Gospel throughout the Holy Land?
As a result of his unstinting efforts – along with those of the other apostles – many pagans were converted to the faith, many new Christian churches were built, and many new priests and bishops were ordained.
In spite of these successes, however, there was no escaping his destiny. His martyrdom came in the pagan Egyptian town of Ostracina, after the local residents became enraged at his insistence on worshipping the Savior Jesus Christ, rather than their own idols. In an act of supreme irony, they nailed him to the same kind of wooden cross that had been used to destroy the body of the Lord. Yet his final hours were joyful, and he died while thanking God again and again for the gift of martyrdom.
The life of this intensely dedicated saint tells us a great deal about friendship. Throughout His preaching years and the Passion of Jesus Christ, St. James never failed to support and defend Him whom he loved most. Later, after the Resurrection, James spent the rest of his life demonstrating the fierce loyalty that was his greatest virtue. That loyalty burned brightest in James’ final hours, as he lay dying on the cross he had long ago agreed to carry in imitation of his Savior.
As he struggled with all of his very human failings and fears, James surely cherished his earthly life as much as we do ours. Yet he remained faithful to Jesus and willingly accepted the toil and danger of preaching the Good News. St. James was willing to face death rather than be untrue to his faith and commitment to God!
Apolytikion in the Third Tone
O Holy Apostle James, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offences.
Kontakion in the Fourth Tone
The wondrous fisherman that caught in the nations, James, the most venerable of Jesus' disciples, and the companion of the apostolic choir, doth dispense unto the world the great wealth of his healings, freeing from adversities them that rightly acclaim him. Wherefore, we cry to him with one accord: O blest Apostle, save all of us by thy prayers.
