Jamess, St, Day

James's, St., Day is a festival in some churches, falling in the Western churches on the 25th of July, and in the Eastern on the 23rd of October, and commemorating St. James the Elder, son of Zebedee, and brother of St. John. No trace of this festival at an early period can be found in any country but Spain. James was the first of the apostles that suffered martyrdom. This particular day was chosen for the commemoration, not with reference to the date of the apostle's death, which took place probably a little before Easter, but in connection with the legend of a miraculous translation of the relic of the apostle from Palestine to Compostella, in Spain.