Holy Apostle and Brother of the Lord in the Flesh James.
1 Thessalonians 2:1-8. Luke 11:9-13.
Read 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
St. James, also known as the Brother of the Lord, is referred to in the West as “St. James the Lesser or Minor” to distinguish him from St. James “the Major or Elder,” who was the brother of St. John. Another brother, St. Jude, also an apostle commemorated on June 19, was, like James, a son of Joseph from a previous marriage, making them both stepbrothers to Jesus. St. James was a Nazirite, meaning he took a vow of consecration to God, abstaining from wine, avoiding cutting his hair, and staying away from corpses. He became a follower of Jesus and was appointed the first Bishop of Jerusalem. St. James played a significant role in the early Church, presiding over the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) and converting many Jews to Christianity.
Due to his influence, the Pharisees and Scribes sought to kill him. They led him to the pinnacle of the Jerusalem Temple, asking him about Jesus. When James proclaimed Christ as the Messiah, they threw him from the temple. Though he survived the fall, he was stoned to death while praying for his attackers around 63 A.D.
Saint James composed a Divine Liturgy that influenced later liturgies by Saints Basil the Great and John Chrysostom. His Epistle in the New Testament emphasizes living out one’s faith through actions, urging believers to be “doers of the word” (James 1:22).
The Church distinguishes him from other apostles named James, commemorating him on multiple occasions, including the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ, alongside the Prophet-King David and Saint Joseph.