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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, the Apostle, son of Alphaeus

Saint ID

S01801

Gender
Male
Type of Saint
Twelve Apostles and Paul
Related Evidence Records
IDTitle
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.
E01380The short Life of Pelagius I, bishop of Rome 556-561, in the Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome, probably during the 6th c., mentions a supplicatory procession with hymns (a 'litany'/ laetania), led by Pelagius, from the church of *Pancratius (martyr of Rome, S00307) to the basilica of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036) [at the Vatican], as well as the beginning of the construction of the basilica of the Apostles *Philip (S00109) and *James (the son of Alphaeus, S01801), and Pelagius' burial at St. Peter's; all in and around Rome.
E01383The short Life of John III, bishop of Rome 561-574, in the Liber Pontificalis, written in Latin in Rome, probably during the 6th c., mentions his completion of the basilica of the Apostles *Philip (S00109) and *James (the son of Alphaeus, S01801); his restoration of the cemeteries of the martyrs and the regular Sunday services he instituted there; and John's burial at the basilica of *Peter (the Apostle, S00036); all in and around Rome.
E03889The Church Calendar of Ioane Zosime, compiled in Georgian in the 10th c., based however on 5th-7th c. prototypes from Palestine, commemorates on 8 October *Jacob (Old Testament patriarch, S00280) and *James (the Apostle, son of Alphaeus, S01801).
E05856The Calendar of Willibrord, in its earliest version, records the feasts of various saints in June. Written in Latin at Echternach, Frisia (north-east Gaul), 703/710.
E05950Mosaic roundels on the barrel vaults of the Cappella Arcivescovile of Ravenna (northern Italy), with portrait busts of twelve apostles and twelve martyrs (six female, six male); created 494/520.
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.
E06047Mosaics in San Vitale, Ravenna (northern Italy), depicting *Vitalis (martyr of Ravenna, S02826), and busts of the *Apostles and *Gervasius and Protasius (brothers and martyrs of Milan, S00313); created c. 549.
E06544The Latin Gelasian Sacramentary (or Liber Sacramentorum Romanae Ecclesiae), probably compiled around 750 near Paris using earlier material from Rome, records prayers to saints on their feast days in May.
E07001The De Locis Sanctis, a guide to the martyrs' burials around Rome, is followed by an Appendix listing 21 churches dedicated to saints within the Aurelianic walls of Rome. Written in Latin in Rome, certainly after 625 and before 790, possibly in 642/683.
E07748List of relics and diptych from the monastery of the Holy *Apostles (S02422) and *Martyrs (S02818) at Arles (southern Gaul), giving the names of saints whose relics were deposited in the monastery and the people for whom prayers were to be offered in the liturgy. The list contains the names of all the Apostles, as well as *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033), *John the Baptist (S00020), and *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030), together with four Gallic martyrs, *Genesius (martyr of Arles, S00263), *Symphorianus (martyr of Autun, S00322), *Baudilius (martyr of Nîmes, S00383), and *Victor (martyr of Marseille, S00382), and three Gallic bishops, *Hilary (bishop of Poitiers, ob. 367, S00183), *Martin (ascetic and bishop of Tours, ob. 397, S00050), and *Caesarius (bishop of Arles, ob. 542, S00491). Written in Latin at Arles, in 600/650.
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.