St. James the Greater - Feast July 25

It is said that one day, as he prayed, The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and asked him to build her a church, which he did.  Later, James returned to Jerusalem but was martyred for his faith by King Herod Agrippa in AD 44, who decapitated him. Saint James the Greater is known as the first apostle to die. As he was not allowed to be buried following his martyrdom, his remains were taken to Compostela, Spain, by some of his followers, who buried him. In the ninth century, his remains were discovered and moved to a tomb in Santiago de Compostela. Today, his remains can still be found in the Cathedral of Santiago. Because Santiago de Compostela is the most frequently visited place pilgrims migrate to following Rome and Jerusalem, Pope Leo declared it a shrine.