James, son of Zebedee, disciple of Jesus Christ and later canonized as St. James the Greater, is the patron saint of both Spain and Galicia. Saint James is known in Spanish as Santiago and he’s also the patron saint of Guatemala, Nicaragua and of fishermen. But why is Saint James the patron saint of Spain, when is his feast day and how is it celebrated? We explain all this and more in this guide to the Patron Saint of Spain facts.

Who was St. James?

According to the New Testament, James, son of Zebedee was a fisherman in the Sea of Galilee in the time of Jesus Christ. He felt the calling of God to follow Jesus as his disciple and became one of the twelve apostles. His faith was true and he never doubted the Lord, having witnessed various miracles including Jesus’s appearance on the shores of Lake Tiberias, and His resurrection.

How did Saint James go to Spain?

The story tells that James came to Spain to preach and spread the message of Jesus after His death. In Roman times, Spain and Portugal were known by the name Hispania, and it’s thought that James arrived on the Peninsula either by boat via the Strait of Gibraltar or via modern day Tarragona.

The Spanish equivalent of the name ‘James’ is Santiago, and so there he was known by that name. He is believed to have started preaching in the northern Spanish region of Galicia, and for that reason he is hailed there as the patron saint of Galicia, as well as the whole of Spain in general.

How did St. James die?

Later, in the year 40 AD, the Virgin Mary appeared to each of the Apostles of Christ in turn to warn them of her impending death. James took the perilous journey back to Jerusalem to pay his respects but was captured and executed by beheading for heresy by King Herod Agrippa I in the year 44 AD. Although he died in Jerusalem, his remains were brought back to his beloved Galicia and a church erected above them. This was the beginnings of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and the body of St. James is said to be buried there to this day.