St. James the Minor,
or James the Less, one of the Christ’s apostles, was actually his relative.
The addition of “the Minor/the Less” to his name he received to distinguish
him from St. James the Greater. Some authors stated that St. James the Minor
so much resembled Jesus that Judas agreed to betray the latter with a kiss
to avoid any mistake. After the apostles scattered, St James the Minor stayed
in Palestine and was the first bishop of Jerusalem. One day, while preaching,
the orthodox Jews threw him from his pulpit and then stoned him.
The cult of St. James the Minor was not so much spread as that of the other
apostles. Because of the coincidence of the names, he was often confused
with his namesake, St. James the Greater, and this influenced his popularity. |
