The Feast of St. James the Elder: July 25th

Jul 23
7 min read

Every year on July 25th, the Church pauses to honor the life and legacy of one of Christ’s most beloved apostles. Two apostles and three total New Testament saints bear the name James, so the Church uses the title Saint James the Elder, or Saint James the Great, to distinguish this James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John, from the others. James and John were ordinary fishermen from Galilee who left everything to follow Jesus and became two of His closest and most trusted disciples. Their journey alongside Him was marked by extraordinary moments of devotion, intimacy, and transformation. On this feast day, we have the opportunity to celebrate St. James in our homes and to embrace the rich traditions and significance that have grown up around his life and witness over two thousand years.

Who Was St. James the Elder?

James enters the Gospel story near the very beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. After His baptism and temptation in the wilderness, Jesus began preaching a message of repentance throughout Galilee. Walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He calls the brothers Peter and Andrew to follow Him. They leave their nets immediately and follow. A little further along the shore, Jesus finds James and John with their father Zebedee, mending their nets and preparing for the next day’s work. He calls them, too, and without hesitation, they leave the boat and their father behind and begin following Him.

From that moment, James is part of Jesus’ inner circle. He and his brother John, along with Peter, are present at some of the most significant and intimate moments of Jesus’ ministry. When Jesus raises the daughter of Jairus from the dead, only these three are permitted to enter with Him. When Jesus is transfigured on the mountain in a moment of blinding glory, it is James, John, and Peter who witness it. And on the night of His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, when Jesus withdraws to pray in the darkest hour of His earthly life, it is these same three He asks to stay close and keep watch with Him.

James and John were not always quiet or gentle in their discipleship. The Gospel of Luke records a moment when the brothers wanted to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village that had refused to welcome Jesus, an impulse Jesus quickly rebuked. It is this kind of passionate, impetuous zeal that likely led Jesus to give the brothers their memorable nickname: the Sons of Thunder. And in Matthew 20, their mother Salome approaches Jesus with a bold request - that her sons be given places of honor at His right and left hand in His kingdom. Jesus responds by asking whether they can drink from the cup He is about to drink. They say they are. Jesus tells them they will indeed drink from His cup, but that the granting of positions of honor is not His to give.

It is a remarkable exchange - a mother’s love, a pair of ambitious sons, and a Savior who redirects their longing toward something deeper than honor. James would indeed drink from that cup.

The Ministry of St. James

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, James was among the disciples who received forty days of teaching from the Risen Lord, watched Him ascend to the Father, and then waited together in the upper room for the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. Filled with the Spirit at Pentecost, he gave the rest of his life to sharing the Gospel and helping lead the early Church.

Tradition holds that James felt called to carry the Gospel to Spain, where he preached for seven years before returning to Jerusalem. It was there, around 42 AD, that King Herod had him arrested and executed by the sword, making James the first of the twelve apostles to be martyred for his faith in the Risen Christ.

The Legacy of St. James

Because James was martyred in Jerusalem, his followers carried his remains back to Spain for burial. Over the centuries, as wars and invasions swept through the region, the location of his tomb was lost and forgotten.

Then, in the ninth century, a hermit named Pelayo reported seeing an extraordinary light in the night sky, a cluster of stars hovering over a particular field, which he understood to be a sign from God. He brought his bishop to the site, and when they investigated, they discovered what was believed to be the lost tomb of St. James and his two disciples. The area was named Compostela, meaning field of stars, and the king ordered a cathedral built to mark the sacred site. That cathedral, the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, became one of the great pilgrimage destinations of the medieval world and remains so to this day.

The ancient pilgrim route to the cathedral is known as the Camino de Santiago, the Way of St. James, a network of paths stretching across France and Spain that converges on Compostela. Pilgrims have been walking the Camino for over a thousand years, and it continues to draw thousands of walkers every year from every background and tradition. Upon completing the journey, pilgrims traditionally attach a scallop shell to their hat or clothing as a pilgrim badge, a symbol that has become inseparable from the figure of St. James himself.

The Feast of St. James Around the World

In Spain, the feast of St. James is celebrated with a two-week festival that culminates on July 25th. The festivities include dramatic performances, traditional costumes, Galician bagpipe music, dancing, and an abundance of special foods. Among the most beloved is the scallop-filled empanada, a nod to the scallop shell that has symbolized St. James for centuries.

On the eve of the feast day, one of the most breathtaking fireworks displays in all of Spain lights up the sky at midnight. Crowds gather at the Praza do Obradoiro, the great square in front of the cathedral, and watch as fireworks are projected across the facade of Santiago de Compostela, illuminating the night in a cascade of light and color that calls to mind the stars that once guided Pelayo to the lost tomb of the apostle.

On the feast day itself, the cathedral hosts a solemn High Mass attended by the Spanish Royal Family. The highlight of the liturgy is the swinging of the Botafumeiro, an enormous six-foot censer suspended from the cathedral ceiling, which is set in motion by a team of attendants and sweeps in great arcs across the transept, filling the air with clouds of fragrant incense and creating a sense of wonder and spiritual awe that visitors describe as unforgettable.

How to Celebrate the Feast of St. James at Home

Make madeleines or scallop-shaped cookies. The scallop shell is the symbol most closely associated with St. James and the Camino. Madeleines, baked in their distinctive shell-shaped molds, are a beautiful and delicious way to honor that tradition. You can bake them at home or purchase them from a bakery. Get my favorite madeleine molds HERE, and here is my favorite RECIPE.

Cook a Spanish dish. Paella, empanadas, or another traditional Spanish dish evokes the culture and landscape so closely associated with St. James. It is a simple and enjoyable way to bring the geography of his legacy to your table.

Go on a pilgrimage walk. Dress like pilgrims, lace up your shoes, and set out on a walking adventure together, whether through your neighborhood, a local park, or a nearby trail. When you return, make paper scallop shells and pin them to your clothing to mark the completion of your own small Camino.

Eat oysters or scallops. An old saying associated with this feast day declares, “Who eats oysters on Saint James’ Day will never want!” In France, scallops are the traditional choice, known there as coquilles Saint-Jacques, or shells of Saint James.

Bake a Tarta de Santiago. This classic almond cake from the Galicia region of Spain is one of the most traditional foods associated with the feast. Made with ground almonds, sugar, eggs, and lemon zest, it is moist, fragrant, and deeply satisfying. It is traditionally dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with the image of the Cross of Saint James stenciled on top, making it as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. (Recipe at the end of the post)

St. James left his nets by the sea and followed Jesus into a life he could never have imagined. He stood on the mountain of Transfiguration, knelt in the garden of Gethsemane, and drank from the cup his Lord had promised him, becoming the first of the twelve to give his life for the Gospel he had spent his life proclaiming.

His feast day is worth celebrating.

the recipe -

Spanish Almond Cake (Tarta de Santiago) Recipe

2 cups ground almonds. Use raw, peeled almonds for the best results. You can optionally toast them in the oven for a deeper almond flavor.
1 ¼ cups sugar
5 eggs
lemon zest from half a lemon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon liquor (You can use vodka, Cointreau, Amaretto, or Grappa. Vanilla or almond extract can be substituted if you don’t want to include alcohol!)
Powdered sugar to dust

Preheat the oven to 350°. Pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely ground. However, be careful not to turn the mixture into almond butter by over-processing. Beat the egg and sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy. Add the lemon zest, liquor, and cinnamon. Fold in the ground almonds using a rubber spatula. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with butter and pour in the almond cake batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown. Test with a toothpick; if it doesn’t come out clean, cover the cake with aluminum foil and bake for five more minutes, then test again. Do this one more time if necessary (for 40 minutes total).

Allow the cake to cool in the pan, and then transfer it to a serving dish. Decorate with powdered sugar. If you wish, you can download a printout of the emblematic cross of Saint James.

Recipe from Spanish Sabores.