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The Cult of Saints in Late Antiquity


from its origins to circa AD 700, across the entire Christian world


Name

James, 'brother of the Lord'

Saint ID

S00058

Number in BH

BHG 763

Reported Death Not Before

60

Reported Death Not After

66

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Other New Testament saints, Martyrs, Bishops , Other "Apostles"
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
E00101Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History (7.19.1), reports that in his day the throne of *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058) was preserved and revered in Jerusalem. Written in Greek in Palestine, 311/325.
E00173Eusebius of Caesarea, in his Ecclesiastical History, gathers information about *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058) whom he presents as the first bishop of Jerusalem, ascetic and martyr. Written in Greek in Palestine in 311/325, quoting the 2nd century Christian authors Clement of Alexandria and Hegesippus.
E00367Gregory of Tours writes the Glory of the Martyrs (Liber in Gloria Martyrum), in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594. Overview entry.
E00456The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem where he saw the tombs of *Pelagia the Penitent (recluse of Jerusalem, 5th c., S00250), *James (the Apostle, son of Zebedee,S00108) or *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), *Cleophas (pupil of Jesus, S00249), and other unnamed saints. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00459The Piacenza Pilgrim records his visit to the basilica of Holy Sion (Jerusalem), formerly the house of *James (almost certainly the 'brother of the Lord', S00058), in which he saw relics of the Passion, stones with which *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) was stoned, the stone into which the cross of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) was set, the chalice of the *Apostles (S00084), and the elaborately encased skull of the martyr *Theodota (possibly Theodote, martyr of Nicaea, S00257), from which he drank. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 560.
E00491Gregory of Tours, in his Glory of the Martyrs (26), tells of the martyrdom and tomb of *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058) on the Mount of Olives, where he is buried together with *Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, S00597) and *Symeon (the God-receiver, elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 580/594.
E00975Quodvultdeus of Carthage, in his Book of Promises, names several tombs of apostles and saints which guarantee the truthfulness of the doctrine of the Church: in Jerusalem, of *James (probably the 'brother of the Lord', S00058) and *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030); at Ephesus, *John (the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042); in Asia, *Andrew (the Apostle, S00288); in Rome, the Apostles *Peter and *Paul (S00036 and *Paul S00008). Written in Latin, probably during Quodvultdeus' exile in Italy, 440/454.
E00998Fragmentary Greek inscription with otherwise unknown pieces of hagiographical or liturgical writings, referring probably to *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), and certainly to Abgar, king of Edessa, and to the *Magi (S00180) as people who travelled to or lived in Jerusalem, were redeemed, and were examples to be followed by contemporary Christians. Found at Ankyra (Galatia, central Asia Minor). Probably late 5th/6th c.
E01338The church of Panagia Kanakaria at Lythrankomi (north-eastern Cyprus) houses a mosaic with depictions of Christ, *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033), unnamed *Archangels (almost certainly *Michael, S00181, and *Gabriel, S00192), and with labelled depictions of *Apostles and *Evangelists. Probably 525-550.
E01637Greek inscription on a boundary stone of a church or monastery dedicated to a martyr 'Iacobos': either an otherwise unknown local martyr, or James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), or perhaps Jacob of Cyrrhestica, (monk of Syria, ob. c. 460s, S00378). Found at Umm al-Jurun near Androna (modern al-Andarin), to the east of Apamea on the Orontes (central Syria). 527/548.
E01902The Apostolic Constitutions, of 375/380, recommend that martyrs be honoured, invoking the examples of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) and *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058). It also condemns the veneration of false martyrs, and prohibits belching, debauchery, singing, and various pagan practices, perhaps associated with Christian feasts. Written in Greek, probably in Syria.
E01904Gregory of Nazianzus in his Oration 4 (Against Julian I), of 362/363, refers to the deaths of martyrs, naming the Apostles *John (S00042), *Peter (S00036), *Paul (S00008), and *James (S00108), *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), *Luke (the Evangelist, S00442), *Andrew (the Apostle, S00288), and *Thekla (follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092). He refers to the festivals held in their honour and the miracles effected by their bodily remains. Written in Greek at Nazianzus (central Asia Minor).
E02011Gregory of Tours, in his Histories (1.25), mentions several 1st, 2nd, and 3rd c. martyrs, namely *Peter (the Apostle, S00036), *Paul (the Apostle, S00008), *James ('the brother of the Lord', S00058), *Mark (the Evangelist, S00293), *Stephen (the first martyr, S00030), *Clemens/Clement (bishop of Rome, martyr of the Crimea, S00111), *Symeon (bishop and martyr of Jerusalem, S01139), *Ignatios, (bishop of Antioch and martyr of Rome, S00649), *Iustinus (philosopher and martyr of Rome, S01140), *Polycarp (bishop and martyr of Smyrna, S00004), *Cornelius (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00172), and *Cyprian (bishop and martyr of Carthage, S00411). Written in Latin in Tours (north-west Gaul), 575/594.
E02746Three Greek inscriptions from the so-called 'Tomb of Absalom' in the Kidron Valley (Jerusalem, Roman province of Palaestina I), implausibly argued to mention *Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, S00597), and Symeon (the God-receiver, elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285). Probably 6th c. or later. Once implausibly dated to the 4th c.
E03102The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 7 April *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058).
E03155The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 18 May *James ('brother of the lord', S00058).
E03162The early seventh-century Georgian version of the Lectionary of Jerusalem commemorates on 25 May the deposition of the relics of *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058).
E03742The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 17 May the burning of Jerusalem, and patriarchs of Jerusalem from *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058) to *Modestos (bishop of Jerusalem, ob. 630, S01371), also *Theoktistos (hermit and follower of Euthymios the Great, 5th c., S01622) and *Helladios (unidentified hieromartyr, S01762).
E03743The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 18 May *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), *Symeon (the God-receiver) (elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285), the priest *Zechariah, (father of John the Baptist, S00597), and Bishop George, an 8th c. bishop and martyr of Melitene during Iconoclasm.
E03750The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 25 May *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), *Symeon (the God-receiver, elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285), *Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, S00597), martyrdom of *Therapon (bishop and martyr of Cyprus under Diocletian, S01751), *Meletios (bishops of Cyprus, S01635) and, as a marginal addition, *George (probably the soldier and martyr, S00259).
E03903The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 22 October the deposition of the relics of *Platōn (martyr of Ankyra, Galatia, central Asia Minor, S00650), *Anastasia (martyr of Sirmium and Rome, S00602), Kripto (unidentified name), *Apollo (hermit, S01837), and *James ('brother of the Lord',S00058).
E03943The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 1 December the martyrdom of *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058) and the invention of the relics of *Symeon (the God-receiver, elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285) and *Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, S00597) and *Nahum (Old Testament prophet, S01806).
E03970The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 26 December *David (Old Testament king of Israel, S00269) and *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058).
E05066The 6th/7th c. recension of the Latin Martyrologium Hieronymianum, as transmitted in 8th c. manuscripts, records the feasts of a number of saints on 27 December.
E05853The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in March. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05862The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in December. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05892Hesychius of Jerusalem composes his Homily 10, On *James (the Brother of the Lord, S00058) and *David (Old Testament King and Prophet, S00269), which he preaches during the celebration of the saints, held at the church of Holy Sion in Jerusalem on 25 December. Written in Greek at Jerusalem, in the early 5th c.
E05965The will of Desiderius, bishop of Cahors (ob. c. 655), summarised in the Latin Life of Desiderius (E08220), leaves property to churches or monasteries in and around Cahors (south-west Gaul), dedicated to fourteen named saints or pairs of saints. Summary written in Cahors, c. 670/700.
E06245Venantius Fortunatus, in a poem on virginity (8.3), when describing the court of heaven lists numerous saints with the cities of their resting-place. Written in Latin in Gaul, probably in the early 570s.
E06925Aldhelm, in his poem On the Altars of the Twelve Apostles, records the dedication of an altar to *James (the 'brother of the Lord,' S00058), presumably in Britain. Written in Latin in southern Britain, c. 670/710.
E07902Jerome, in his On illustrious men, states that *James ('brother of the Lord', also known as James the Just, S00058) was buried near where he had been cast down off the Temple Mount, and rejects the opinion that he was buried on the Mount of Olives. Written in Latin in Bethlehem (Palestine), 392/393.
E07922Theodosius, in his On the Topography of the Holy Land, in his list of holy sites at Jerusalem, recounts the martyrdom of *James ('brother of the Lord', S00058), and mentions his tomb on the Mount of Olives, which James himself had built and in which he had buried *Zechariah (father of John the Baptist, S00597) and *Symeon (the God-receiver, elder of the temple of Jerusalem, S00285). Written in Latin, perhaps in Africa, 518/540.
E0831535 relic labels at Sens (northern Gaul), datable by their script to the 7th or 8th c., for relics of a great diversity of saints. Written in Latin, perhaps at Sens, or at an earlier stage in their transmission.
E08343The coffin of *Cuthbert (bishop and anchorite of Lindisfarne, ob. 687, S01955) is constructed of oak and decorated with images of the archangels, apostles, evangelists and *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033), whose names are inscribed in Latin (some with runic letters). Made for the saint's translation at Lindisfarne, 698.