Herod Agrippa I. James the Greater, son of Zebedee and brother of John, was among the first disciples Jesus called. Together with John and Peter, he participated in crucial moments in Jesus' life, such as the Transfiguration on the Mount and the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. As a prominent apostle, he later became the first martyr among the apostles, as he was executed in Judea around 43 AD during the reign of Herod Agrippa I.[1][2][4]
The connection between James and Spain only arose many centuries after his death. Tradition tells of his relics miraculously arriving in Spain, with various versions recounting a voyage by ship. In the Middle Ages, James became the patron saint of pilgrims, and Santiago de Compostela, where his tomb is said to be located, developed into one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Europe.[3]
The growing influence of the veneration of St. James, particularly through his association with Charlemagne, gave his tomb both religious and political significance. In the 12th century, the pilgrimage to Santiago was considered an expression of prestige and social standing.
The growing influence of the veneration of St. James, especially through his association with Charlemagne, gave his tomb both religious and political significance.