The feast of Sts. Philip and James, apostles, falls on May 3: St. Philip, the apostle from Bethsaida who brought Nathanael to Jesus with the words “Come and see,” and St. James “the Less,” the son of Alphaeus, whom the Latin tradition identifies with James, the “brother of the Lord,” first bishop of Jerusalem and author of the Letter of James. They share a feast because their relics were placed together in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Rome in the sixth century. Below are their stories from the Gospels and tradition, Scripture, and prayers to Sts. Philip and James.
A short prayer to Sts. Philip and James, written for this page:
Holy apostles Philip and James, you saw the face of the Father in Jesus
and gave your lives to make Him known.
Pray that I may say “Come and see” to others, and be a doer of the word and not a hearer only. Amen.
St. Philip
Philip came from Bethsaida, on the Sea of Galilee, the town of Andrew and Peter. Jesus called him with the words “Follow me,” and Philip at once found his friend Nathanael (Bartholomew) and told him he had found the Messiah; when Nathanael doubted, Philip answered simply, “Come and see.” At the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus tested Philip by asking where to buy bread for the crowd, and when some Greeks wanted to see Jesus, they came first to Philip. At the Last Supper he made a request that drew one of Jesus’ most profound answers (John 14:8–9, Douay-Rheims):
Philip saith to him: Lord, shew us the Father, and it is enough for us.
Jesus saith to him: Have I been so long a time with you; and have you not known me? Philip, he that seeth me seeth the Father also. How sayest thou, shew us the Father?
According to tradition, Philip preached in Greece and Asia Minor and was martyred at Hierapolis, in Phrygia, in what is now Turkey, where the remains of his tomb were discovered in 2011.
St. James the Less
James, the son of Alphaeus, is called “the Less” or “the Younger” to distinguish him from St. James the Greater, the brother of John. The Latin tradition identifies him with James “the brother of the Lord,” that is, a close relative of Jesus, to whom the risen Christ appeared (1 Corinthians 15:7) and who led the church of Jerusalem and spoke at the Council of Jerusalem. According to the ancient historian Hegesippus, he was known as “James the Just” for his holiness and prayer; he was thrown down from the Temple and killed around the year 62.
The Letter of James, a practical book on living the faith, is traditionally attributed to him (James 1:22, Douay-Rheims):
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
His letter is also the scriptural foundation of the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (James 5:14–15, Douay-Rheims):
Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.
And the prayer of faith shall save the sick man: and the Lord shall raise him up: and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him.
See also St. James the Greater, whose feast is July 25.
What are Sts. Philip and James the patron saints of?
- Uruguay, whose cathedral in Montevideo is dedicated to them
- St. Philip: hatters and pastry chefs, in traditional lists
- St. James the Less: pharmacists and the dying, in traditional lists
Prayers
Written for this page.
To share the faith
St. Philip, you said “Come and see” to your friend.
Give me the courage to invite others to meet Jesus, simply and joyfully. Amen.
To live the faith
St. James, you taught that faith without works is dead.
Help me to put my faith into practice in the way I treat the poor, control my tongue and pray. Amen.
Feast day
The feast of Sts. Philip and James, Apostles, is May 3. For centuries it was kept on May 1; when Pope Pius XII established the feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1 in 1955, it moved to May 11, and since 1969 it has been celebrated on May 3.
Frequently asked questions
Why do Sts. Philip and James share a feast day?
Because their relics were placed together in the Basilica of the Holy Apostles in Rome, dedicated in the sixth century on May 1.
Which James is honored on May 3?
St. James the Less, son of Alphaeus. St. James the Greater, brother of John, is honored on July 25.
Who wrote the Letter of James?
It is traditionally attributed to St. James the Less, “the brother of the Lord” and leader of the church of Jerusalem.
More saints
- The Twelve Apostles
- St. James prayer (the Greater)
- St. Bartholomew
- St. Matthias
- St. Barnabas
- St. Andrew the Apostle
- Saint of the day
Texts and sources
- John 14:8–9, James 1:22 and James 5:14–15 (Douay-Rheims).