James, the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John the Evangelist, was one of the twelve apostles of Christ. To distinguish him from James the Less (the son of Alphaeus), who was also an apostle, James the son of Zebedee is often referred to as “the Greater.”

His calling is described in the Gospels: together with his brother John, he was a fisherman when Jesus called them to leave their nets and follow Him (Matt. 4:21; Mark 1:19). Jesus also gave the brothers the nickname “Boanerges” — “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17), likely referring to their fiery temperament. This emotional zeal is seen in several gospel episodes, such as when they wanted to call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village (Luke 9:54) or when they asked Jesus for places of honor in His kingdom (Mark 10:35–37).

Along with Peter and John, James was one of the closest disciples of Christ, witnessing significant events such as the raising of Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:37; Luke 8:51), the Transfiguration (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2; Luke 9:28), and Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:33). After Christ’s Ascension, James was among the apostles who received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). James is the only apostle, besides Judas Iscariot, whose death is recorded in the Bible. He was executed by sword by King Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12:2).

Iconography
In Ukrainian iconography, Apostle James is depicted in the Litany Row of the iconostasis, in the apostolic row on the Last Judgment icon, and in icons portraying the Transfiguration, the Prayer at Gethsemane, the Descent of the Holy Spirit, and other New Testament episodes. He is sometimes portrayed in individual icons. Traditional depictions of James show him as a young man with dark hair and a rounded beard. In rarer cases, especially in 16th-century works, he is shown as older and gray-haired. His usual attire includes a red chiton and a blue or green himation.

In the Litany Row, he is often shown standing next to his brother John on the right side of the iconostasis. From the 17th century onward, the tradition developed of showing him with his left hand raised in a blessing gesture, while his right hand holds a scroll. Over time, this posture became somewhat variable. In the 19th and 20th centuries, elements from Western European iconography began to appear in depictions of James, including a staff, a banner, or a shell in his hands, symbolizing his role as the patron of pilgrims.

Mykhailo Skop