St. James the Apostle

Feast Day - July 25

Collect:

O gracious God, we remember befores you today your servant the apostle James, the first among the Twelve to suffer martyrdom for the Name of Jesus Christ; and we pray that you will pour out upon the leaders of your Church that spirit of self-denying service by which alone they may have true authority among your people; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

History
St. James was the son of Zebedee, elder brother of St. John, and with St. Peter and St. John he belonged to the privileged group of disciples who were present at the Transfiguration and the Agony in Gethsemane. Because of their ardent zeal, James and John were named Boanerges, or "sons of thunder," by the Lord (Mark 3:17). St. James was the first of the Twelve disciples to suffer martyrdom in A.D. 44 (Acts 12:2).

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