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Sculpture of the apostle Saint James as a pilgrim

The Apostle Saint James: from Jerusalem to Compostela

Who was the Apostle Saint James?

The Synoptic Gospels refer to the apostle Saint James by the name of Jacob. An appellation with a Hebrew origin (Ya’kov), which passed into Latin as Iacobus. A name that through history has become in many others, such as Iago, Diego, or Santiago.

The Apostle Saint James, also known as James the Greater, was one of the first disciples to die for Jesus. He belonged to a family of fishermen, son of Zebedeo and Salome, and brother of John Evangelist, also an apostle.

Saint James was one of the three closest disciples of Jesus. He was present at two of the most important moments of his life: the transfiguration on Mount Tabor, and the prayer in the Garden of Olives. His closeness to the Messiah enabled him to witness his last miracle: his appearance, after his resurrection, on the shores of Lake Tiberias.

How died the apostle?

On her deathbed, the Virgin Mary received a visit from the risen Jesus, who asked her to spend her last days surrounded by the apostles, who until then had been dispersed all over the world.

The Virgin fulfilling her son’s request was appeared to Saint James, on a pillar in Zaragoza, to ask him to come to her side. This miracle is venerated today in the basilica of Nuestra Señora del Pilar.

The Apostle did not hesitate to turn out to Jerusalem to stay near the Virgin on her last days. It was there where Saint James lost his life. In the year 42 AD, by order of the king of Judea, Herod Agrippa I, James the Greater was tortured and decapitated.

The Translatio

According to the legend, there were seven disciples of Saint James who taking advantage of the night took the Apostle’s body by boat. From Jaffa, an important port in the old Galilee, they embarked on a 7-day journey that took them to Iria Flavia (nowadays the city of Padrón, La Coruña), through the Ría de Arousa. In different manuscripts, it is reported that this happened around the year 44. However, the is not a consensus about the exact date.

Translatio of Saint james the Apostle

Translatio of Saint james the Apostle.

The disciples arrived in Hispania and, determined to look for the best place to bury him, they travelled to a hillfort inland. There they met Queen Lupa, a character from the Galician mythology, who advised them to direct their request to bury Santiago to the king of Dugium. However, he tried to kill them.

On their return, queen Lupa sent the disciples of Saint James to Mount Ilicino, encouraging them to take a pair of oxen with which they can carry the coffin. But she did not advise them about the dragon that was waiting at the edge of the mountain and that the oxen were wild bulls. However, according to the legend, the dragon perished in front of the sign of the cross and, after several prayers, the bulls were tamed and finally they pull the cart.

Even though there were great difficulties, the disciples managed to prepare a tomb for the Apostle. The place that was chosen for his remains was the Liberum Donum site, where a small chapel was built. According to the Christian tradition, the twelve apostles were buried in the place where they were sent to preach for the first time. Over the years, the mausoleum built for Saint James was covered with vegetation.

Legend relates that in the 9th century, around the year 830, when Alfonso II the Chaste were king of Asturias, celestial voices began to be heard and strange lights, like stars, began to be seen in the forest of Libredon. A hermit called Pelayo was the first witness, and he reported the discovery to Teodomiro, bishop of Iria Flavia. Guided by the path of stars, they arrived at the remains of James the Greater.

The bishop informed king Alfonso about the discovery and they organised a trip to the tomb of Saint James. Once they had arrived at the place, the king ordered them to build a little church. From that moment on, the place was established as the official tomb of the apostle Saint James.

One of the theories most accepted is that the origin of the word ‘Compostela’ comes from the Latin ‘campus stellae’, field of stars. This account was published at the same time to justify the creation of the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. It is known as the inventio of Teodomiro and can be read in his Cronicon Irense.

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