Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint James, Apostle

Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, © Photo by Fernando Pascullo, Creative Commons, Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 25 July 2025
Matthew 20:20-28

At that time: The mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. And he said to her, 'What do you want?'

She said to him, 'Say that these two sons of mine are to sit one at your right hand and one at your left in your kingdom.'

Jesus answered, 'You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?'

They said to him, 'We are able.' He said to them, 'You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.' And when the Ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

But Jesus called them to him and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'

Reflection on the Cathedral building

Today we celebrate the Feast of Saint James the Apostle. According to the Gospels, James and his brother John, along with Peter and his brother Andrew, were the first to be called by Jesus to follow him. All four were fishermen. Jesus often singled out Peter, John, and James for unique experiences. He took them up the Mount of Transfiguration and brought them with him into the Garden of Gethsemane, giving James privileged access to significant moments of his ministry. However, despite this closeness, James, John, and their mother were quite ambitious, asking for the highest positions in Jesus' Kingdom. This request revealed their initial misunderstanding of Jesus' mission and the true nature of his Kingdom.

This must have been frustrating for Jesus, who responded by asking, "Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?" Both brothers confidently replied that they could, and indeed they did. James went on to endure great suffering for his faith. According to the Acts of the Apostles, King Herod Agrippa persecuted the church in Judea and had James killed by the sword, making him the first of the Twelve Apostles to be martyred for Christ. Tradition holds that his bones were later taken from Jerusalem to Compostela in Northwest Spain.

The remains of Saint James the Greater were miraculously discovered in the early 9th century by a hermit named Pelayo, who saw mysterious lights, like stars, shining over a hill in the forest of Libredón, near present-day Santiago de Compostela. Moved by the vision, he reported it to Bishop Theodemir of Iria Flavia, who ordered the site to be excavated. There, they uncovered a stone tomb containing human remains believed to be those of the Apostle James. The bishop proclaimed the discovery as divinely inspired and informed King Alfonso II of Asturias, who then made a pilgrimage to the site and ordered the construction of a chapel, marking the beginning of what would become the great pilgrimage destination of Santiago de Compostela.

The present-day cathedral was begun in 1075, under the reign of King Alfonso VI. It became a monumental Romanesque structure completed in the early 12th century. Over the centuries, Gothic, Baroque, and Neoclassical elements were added, most notably the stunning Baroque façade of the Obradoiro, completed in the 18th century. The cathedral was designed to accommodate the vast crowds of pilgrims arriving via the Camino de Santiago, (or Way of St James). At its heart lies the silver-plated reliquary said to hold the bones of Saint James, making Santiago de Compostela not only a masterpiece of medieval architecture but a symbol of Christian faith, unity, and devotion in Europe for over a thousand years.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/matthew-20-20-28-2025/

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