St. James - Icon Profile | Alexandria
St. James (also known as James the Greater, Santiago, or Jacobus Major) stands as one of Christianity's most enigmatic and influential apostles, whose legacy spans from biblical accounts to medieval pilgrim routes that continue to shape spiritual journeys today. As one of Jesus's first disciples and brother of John the Evangelist, James was among the inner circle who witnessed pivotal moments in Christian history, including the Transfiguration and the Garden of Gethsemane.
The earliest historical references to James appear in the New Testament, particularly in the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, which record his calling as a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee and his eventual martyrdom around 44 CE under Herod Agrippa I, making him the first apostle to suffer martyrdom. This foundational narrative, however, only begins to hint at the extraordinary cultural phenomenon that would emerge around his figure in subsequent centuries.
The most intriguing aspect of St. James's legacy centers on the legendary translation of his remains to Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain, a tradition that emerged in the 9th century. According to medieval accounts, his body was miraculously transported by boat from Jerusalem to the Iberian Peninsula, where he had supposedly preached before his death. This belief, though historically contested, gave rise to the Camino de Santiago, one of the most significant pilgrimage routes in Christian history, which became known as the "Way of St. James." The apostle's association with Spain also led to his emergence as Santiago Matamoros (St. James the Moor-slayer), a controversial warrior-saint figure in the Spanish Reconquista.
Today, St. James's influence extends far beyond religious spheres, embodying themes of spiritual quest, cultural exchange, and personal transformation. The Camino de Santiago, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually, many seeking not just religious experience but personal growth and cultural understanding. The enduring mystique of St. James raises provocative questions about the intersection of history, faith, and cultural identity: How do ancient spiritual figures continue to resonate in our secular age, and what draws modern seekers to follow ancient paths?