The Martyrdom of St . James the Apostle, Bishop of Jerusalem

On this day , St . James the Apostle, Bishop of Jerusalem, who was the son of Alphaeus, was martyred .(Mat . 10:3) The Holy Bible mentioned his brothers, Joses, Simeon, and Judas, the sons of Cleophas .(Mat . 13:55) The Greek word "Cleophas" means in the Syriac language "Alphaeus" . His mother, thesister of the Virgin, was also called Mary and was the wife of Cleophas . (John 19:25)When he grew up he was known as James the Just . For there was a drought in Palestine and he prayedto God, Who sent the rain and watered the land, as Josephus, the Jewish historian, testified . He wascalled James the Less, to identify him from St . James the son of Zebedee, and the brother of St . Johnthe beloved .It was said that the Lord had appointed him bishop of Jerusalem when he appeared to him . "After thatHe was seen by James, then by all the apostles ." (I Cor . 15:7) He was called the head of the church inJerusalem for it was the mother church and from it the Good News had spread to the other churches .He wrote a liturgy, with which the Armenians still pray .During his time and in the year 53 A .D . a Council of the Apostles and priests convened in Jerusalemand St . James presided over it . During this Council St . James said, "Therefore I judge that we shouldnot trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God, "but that we write to them toabstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood . . ." (Acts 15:19-21) St . James preached and taught the Name of the Lord Christ, brought many back tothe faith, and baptized them . God wrought by his hands many signs and wonders .One day, many of the Jews came to him and asked him to tell them about the Lord Christ . Theythought that he would tell them that Jesus was his brother . St . James went up to the pulpit, and beganto explain to them the Godhead of the Lord Christ, His eternal existence, and His equality with Godthe Father . When they heard this they were wrath with him, they dragged him down, and beat himseverely . One of them beat the apostle on the head with an iron rod, and he delivered up his soulinstantly .It was said about this Saint, that he never drank wine, and never wore clothes, but always wore a linenloin-cloth, and that he kneeled so often during his worship and praying that his feet and knees becameswollen, and the skin of his knees became like that of the camels .May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever . Amen .