July 25 | Saint James the Greater

Welcome, young history buffs and curious minds, to My Daily Saint, the podcast that digs deep into the incredible lives of the saints, those remarkable people who shaped history and continue to inspire us today. Forget dusty old portraits and boring stories. Today, imagine the year is 44 AD. The dusty, sun-baked streets of Jerusalem are buzzing with panic and tension. The ruthless King Herod of Agrippa has just ordered a brutal execution. A heavy sword flashes in the sunlight, and a great man's life is violently taken.

With this terrible act, He becomes the very first of his tight-knit group of apostles to be martyred for his beliefs. But the story does not end at the executioner's block. Under the cover of total darkness, two of his most fiercely loyal disciples launch a daring and dangerous mission. They sneak past the authorities, steal the body of their murdered mentor, and flee into the night. They smuggle him onto a ship, setting sail across the unpredictable, stormy waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Their destination?

The distant, rugged coast of Spain. Why go to such extreme lengths to recover and bury a body? Because this wasn't just anyone. This man was one of the closest friends and most loyal disciples of Jesus Christ, St. James the Greater.

Now, you might be wondering about that nickname, the Greater. Does that mean he was just way smarter or more awesome than everyone else? Not exactly. Back in the first century, there was actually another apostle whose name was also James. To keep things from getting super confusing, people called this James the Greater and the other one James the Lesser, simply to point out their ages. James the Greater was the older of the two.

James was an Israeli man born in the first century, and his brother was St. John the Evangelist. James was actually one of the very first apostles to ever be called by Jesus. Imagine being there with Jesus from the very beginning. James accompanied Jesus throughout his entire ministry and was handpicked to be present at some of the most mind-blowing, exclusive events in the Bible. For example, James was right there on the mountain for the transfiguration, an incredible moment where Jesus revealed his divine glory.

He was also there for the darkest, most terrifying moments, like the agony in the garden, sticking close to Jesus right before he was arrested. But James wasn't just a loyal follower. He was a trailblazer. After Jesus' death and ascension into heaven, James didn't just stay plit in his comfort zone. He packed up his walking staff and went on a massive road trip. He traveled all the way to Spain for a brief period of time to evangelize and spread the message of his faith.

Traveling to Spain in the first century was no joke. After all, there was no GPS and no airplanes. Then, on his way back to Jerusalem, he ran into King Herod of Agrippa, who ultimately had James beheaded. But remember that daring midnight body heist? After his disciples stole his body and transported it all the way back to Spain, James was secretly buried. Because of this, there is tremendous devotion to St. James in Spain to this very day. For centuries, his burial site was lost, but then, in the 9th century, his relics were miraculously rediscovered.

A massive, breathtaking church called the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was built over his remains and has housed his relics ever since the 9th century. By the Middle Ages, this cathedral became one of the ultimate road trip destinations for pilgrims desiring to venerate the great saint's relics. This legendary pilgrimage is still massively popular today, and it is one of the most popular places in the world, and it is one of the most popular places And is known as the Camino de Santiago.

Saint James the Greater is officially the patron saint of Spain, as well as the patron saint of pilgrims. If you ever see a drawing or statue of Saint James, look closely. You'll usually spot his special attributes, a walking staff and a scalloped shell, which became the official symbol of his famous pilgrimage.

You might not be hopping on a plane to hike the Camino de Santiago in Spain just yet, but you can still live out the lessons of St. James right now. Think about how James was part of Jesus' inner circle. He was there for the glorious moments, like the Transfiguration, but he was also present during the terrifying, sad moments, like the agony in the garden.

This week, try to be a James to your friends. It's easy to be a good friend when everything is fun and going well, but can you be the kind of friend who sticks around when things get tough or they're going through a hard time? Life itself is a kind of pilgrimage, and just like St. James, we are all called to grab our staff and boldly walk the path forward. Thank you for joining us on My Daily Saint. We look forward to sharing another incredible story of faith and courage with you tomorrow.