sv. Jakov apostol , 25.07.

Santiago de Compostela, Španjolska

Svetac Apostol

Jakov je bio sin Zebedeja i Salome, a brat Ivana evanđelista. Rodio se u Betsaidi na Genezaretskom jezeru. Na apostolat je pozvan u proljeće ili ljeto g. 28. od samoga Krista. Sveti Matej o tom u svom evanđelju piše: "Idući odatle dalje, Isus opazi drugu dvojicu braće, Jakova Zebedejeva i brata mu Ivana, u lađici, s ocem, gdje krpe mreže. Pozva ih. Oni odmah ostave lađicu i svog oca te pođu za njim" (Mt 4,21-22).

Sveti Jakov, zajedno s Petrom i Ivanom, pripada onome najužem krugu oko Isusa. S njima je prisutan uskrsnuću Jairove kćerke, Isusovu preobraženju na Taboru, njegovoj smrtnoj borbi u Getsemaniju.

O njegovu naglom karakteru govori zgoda iz Isusova života kada ga negostoljubivi Samarijanci ne htjedoše primiti. "Kad to vidješe učenici, Jakov i Ivan, rekoše: "Gospodine, hoćeš li da zapovjedimo ognju da siđe s neba i da ih uništi?" Isus se okrenu pa ih ukori. I odu u drugo selo" (Lk 9,54-56). Ono što još sigurno znamo o sv. Jakovu zabilježeno je u Djelima apostolskim. "U ono vrijeme kralj Herod poče zlostavljati neke članove Crkve. Mačem pogubi Ivanova brata Jakova" (Dj 12,1-2).

Klement Aleksandrijski i Euzebije Cezarejski spominju i obraćenje sudskoga sluge ili pandura, koji je Jakova vodio na sud. Vidjevši taj kako je apostol hrabro primio smrtnu osudu, priznao se i sam kršćaninom. Jakova je zamolio za oproštenje za sve što mu je učinio. Apostol ga je poljubio i rekao mu: "Mir s tobom!" Poslije toga je obojici odrubljena glava.

Tijelo sv. Jakova bijaše preneseno u Compostellu, u Španjolskoj, gdje njegov grob u srednjem vijeku postade uz Rim i Jeruzalem najviše pohađano hodočasničko mjesto. Španjolska ga je izabrala za svoga zaštitnika, a kad njegov blagdan padne u nedjelju, onda je ona cijela godina jubilarna Jakovljeva godina.

Svetog su Jakova kao svog naročitog zaštitnika poštivali tijekom stoljeća hodočasnici i putnici, zatim srednjovjekovni vitezovi, pa onda apotekari, kožari, ratari i voćari. Slikari ga obično prikazuju kao putnika sa štapom u ruci, koji put i s mačem, što podsjeća na njegovu smrt, jer je od kralja Heroda Agripe bio pogubljen mačem i tako prvi od apostola pošao u mučeničku smrt. Sv. Ivan Zlatousti kaže o njemu: "Od početka ga je prožimao veliki žar: zapustio je sve ljudsko, te se popeo do neizrecivog vrhunca i ubrzo bio pogubljen."

Santiago
History and Legends

The name Santiago goes back to the Apostle James (Saint James = Santiago) who went to this most north-western part of Spain, called by the Romans "Finis Terrae", "end of the world", to preach and convert people to Christianity.

After returning to Palestine in 44 a.C., he was taken prisoner by Herodes Agrippa and tortured to death. The king forbid to bury him, but in the night Jacob's disciples stole the body and brought him, in a sarcophagus of marble, on board of a small boat. The current of the sea drove the boat to the Spanish coast, into the port of the Roman province's capital, Iria Flavia. Here the Apostle was buried at a secret place in a wood.

Centuries later, in 813, the hermit Pelayo listened music in that wood and saw a shining. For this shining the place was called, in Latin, "Campus Stellae", field of the star, name that was lateron turned into Compostela.

Bishop Teodomiro, who received notice of that event, instituted an investigation, and so the tomb of the Apostle was discovered. King Alphonse II declared Saint James the patron of his empire and had built a chapel at that place. It is reported that from then on Saint James did several miracles, even that he fought side to side with King Ramiro I in the decisive battle against the Moors.
More and more pilgrims followed the way of Santiago, "Camino de Santiago", and the original chapel soon became the cathedral of the new settlement, Santiago de Compostela..

In 12th and 13th century the town had its greatest importance, and Pope Alexander III declared it a Holy Town, like Rome and Jerusalem. Pope Calixto II declared that the pilgrims who went to Santiago in a Holy Year should be free of all their sins. El Ano Santo (Holy Year) is celebrated each time when the Apostol's day (July, 25) is a Sunday.

Apostle - Patron of Spain
Among the twelve Apostles, three were chosen to be the close companions of our Blessed Lord, and of these James was one. He, with Peter and John, was admitted to the house of Jairus when his dead child was raised to life (Luke 8:40 ff.); only these three were taken up to the high mountain of Thabor and beheld the face of Jesus shining as the sun, and His garments white as snow (Mark 9:2-7). These three alone witnessed the fearful agony in Gethsemane. (Luke 22:39-45)
What was it that won James a place among the favorite three? Faith, burning, impetuous and outspoken, the straightforwardness of the true Israelite, were visible in him; but these qualities needed purifying before the "Son of Thunder" could proclaim the Gospel of peace. It was James who suggested fire from heaven to consume the inhospitable Samaritans, and who sought a place of honor beside Christ in His kingdom. Yet Our Lord, in rebuking his presumption, prophesied his faithfulness unto death. (Mark 10:38-40) He went to Spain after the death of Our Lord, and remained there for nine years, according to tradition. The famous Basilica of Saint James of Compostello, one of the most frequented pilgrimage sites of Europe, the site also of countless miracles, commemorates the memory of the nation's beloved Apostle.
In the year 44 Saint James, who was at that time in Jerusalem, was brought before King Herod Agrippa. The Apostle had been preaching fearlessly there, curing the sick and the blind, and delivering possessed persons. Two magicians were sent by the authorities to stop his doings by their charms, but both were converted. His enemies were not defeated by that, however, and paid two Roman captains to incite a sedition during the Apostle's preaching, then seize him as its author. A certain Josias, a scribe among the Pharisees, put a cord around his neck and took him before the third Herod, grandson of the first, murderer of the Innocents, and nephew of the second, who had the Baptist decapitated. This new sycophant of the Roman Emperors, desiring to conciliate the Jews and make them forget his non-Jewish origins, decided to do so by persecuting the Christians. Without delay he condemned Saint James to die by the sword. The Apostle's fearless confession of Jesus crucified so moved the scribe Josias, that he too confessed Christ and begged pardon of the Saint. He was taken with the Apostle to the place of execution, where Saint James and his convert died together.
The Apostle won the three crowns of heroism: he is a Doctor par excellence of the Faith, he was the first Apostle to be martyred, and according to Saint Epiphanus and other historians, he always conserved his virginity. He is the patron of Spain. A Spanish author by the name of Tamayo reports fifteen different apparitions of Saint James to the kings and princes of Spain, followed each time by some specific assistance for the benefit of the land.
Reflection: We must all desire a place in the kingdom of our Father; but can we drink the chalice which He holds out to each one of us? Possumus, we must say with Saint James - "We can!" - but only in the strength of Him who drank it first for us.
Sources: Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints, a compilation based on Butler's Lives of the Saints, and other sources by John Gilmary Shea (Benziger Brothers: New York, 1894); Les Petits Bollandistes: Vies des Saints, by Msgr. Paul Guérin (Bloud et Barral: Paris, 1882), Vol. 9.