JAMES THE GREATER – (died 44 A.D.) – James is known by many different names and titles, including James the Greater, Boanerges (a nickname given to James and John meaning “sons of thunder”), James the Major and James the Elder. He was so named to distinguish him from James, the son of Alphaeus, who is known as James the Lesser.

James was an apostle of Jesus Christ and the brother of the Apostle John. Their father was named Zebedee. James and John were fishermen and were together, mending their nets, when Jesus called them to become His disciples (Matthew 4:21-22). James was the first apostle to be martyred. He would be put to death by King Herod who found that killing prominent Christians was a way to find favor with the Jews.
The Bible tells us that James was beheaded
in Jerusalem. However, a legend grew that James was buried in Compostela, Spain and that his body had been discovered there. This would make Compostela the third most visited site on the pilgrimage trail, after Jerusalem and Rome. The great connection of James with Spain would lead to James being appointed patron saint of that country.

1. Because Compostela was such a major pilgrimage site, James is often depicted as a pilgrim. He is shown with a wide brimmed hat, walking staff, coin purse and a scallop shell. Scallop shells were used by pilgrims to scoop water from streams to drink as they traveled on their way. 2. Another symbol of James is the sword, referring to how he was martyred.