St. James the Greater, son of Zebedee and brother of St. John, was one of the three apostles closest to Jesus and the first of the Twelve to die for him. According to an ancient tradition his relics rest at Santiago de Compostela in Spain, the goal of the great pilgrimage known as the Camino de Santiago, and he is the patron of Spain and of pilgrims. His feast is July 25. Below are prayers to St. James for pilgrims and travelers, for the Camino and for courage, the Gospel scenes of his life, and his story, with the difference between St. James the Greater and St. James the Less.
A prayer to St. James
Written for this page:
St. James, apostle of Jesus Christ,
you left your nets at his call,
saw his glory on the mountain and his agony in the garden,
and were the first apostle to drink his chalice.
Pray for me, that I may follow Jesus with zeal,
accept my share of his Cross,
and reach the goal of my pilgrimage, heaven.
Obtain for me the grace I ask: (name your intention). Amen.
A prayer for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago
St. James, patron of pilgrims,
walk with me on the Way.
Give me strength for each day’s road, patience with blisters and weariness,
kindness toward my fellow pilgrims,
and a heart open to meet Christ along the way.
Bring me safely to your tomb, and one day to the house of the Father. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page.
A prayer for travelers
St. James, you carried the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
Watch over all who travel, especially (name).
Protect them on the roads, in the air and on the sea,
and bring them home in peace. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page. See the Catholic travel prayer.
A prayer for courage
St. James, Jesus asked you, “Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?”
and you answered, “We can.”
Give me courage to answer yes to God’s will,
even when it asks for sacrifice. Amen.
This prayer was written for this page.
The Gospel of his feast
Then came to him the mother of the sons of Zebedee with her sons, adoring and asking something of him.
Who said to her: What wilt thou? She saith to him: Say that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left, in thy kingdom.
And Jesus answering, said: You know not what you ask. Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink? They say to him: We can.
He saith to them: My chalice indeed you shall drink; but to sit on my right or left hand, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared by my Father.
His martyrdom, the first among the apostles:
And at the same time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands, to afflict some of the church.
And he killed James, the brother of John, with the sword.
The life of St. James
James and his younger brother John were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee, the sons of Zebedee and Salome, partners of Simon Peter and Andrew. When Jesus called them, they left their father in the boat and followed him. Jesus nicknamed the brothers Boanerges, “sons of thunder,” for their fiery zeal. With Peter, they alone witnessed the raising of Jairus’s daughter, the Transfiguration and the agony in Gethsemane.
After Pentecost James was a leader of the Church in Jerusalem. Around the year 44, King Herod Agrippa I had him beheaded, making him the first apostle to be martyred. A tradition recorded in the Middle Ages says that James had preached in Spain, and that his body was later brought there by his disciples. In the ninth century his tomb was discovered at Compostela in Galicia, and the great Cathedral of Santiago was built over it. Since then millions of pilgrims have walked the Camino de Santiago, carrying the scallop shell that became his symbol.
St. James the Greater and St. James the Less
Two of the Twelve were named James. James the Greater, the son of Zebedee, is the subject of this page and is celebrated on July 25. James the Less, the son of Alphaeus, is celebrated with St. Philip on May 3. The James who led the Church of Jerusalem and wrote the Letter of James is traditionally identified with James the Less, the “brother of the Lord.”
Feast day and patronage
- Feast day: July 25. A novena can run from July 16 to 24. When July 25 falls on a Sunday, Compostela celebrates a Holy Year.
- Patron of: Spain, Galicia, pilgrims, travelers, and laborers.
- Symbols: a scallop shell, a pilgrim’s staff, hat and gourd, and a sword.
Frequently asked questions
When is the feast of St. James?
July 25 for St. James the Greater; May 3 for St. James the Less, with St. Philip.
Why is the scallop shell the symbol of St. James?
Scallop shells were found on the coast of Galicia, near Compostela, and pilgrims brought them home as a sign that they had made the pilgrimage. Today pilgrims wear them on the Camino.
What is St. James the patron saint of?
Spain, pilgrims and travelers.
Is St. James buried in Spain?
According to an ancient tradition, his relics rest in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
More prayers
- St. John the Apostle, his brother
- Catholic travel prayer
- Patron saint of travelers
- St. Peter prayer
- St. Christopher prayer
- Prayers to popular saints
- Saint feast days
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Matthew 20:20–23; Acts 12:1–2, Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
- The prayers were written for this page.