Feast of the Apostle

In Rome, the Church of the Twelve Apostles has the relics of these two apostles under its main altar. For this reason they are honoured together on this day, the date of the Church’s dedication in 565. Philip came from Bethsaida on the shore of the Lake of Galilee. He was one of Christ’s first disciples, called soon after his Master’s baptism in the Jordan. James, known as James the Less, son of Alphaeus, is distinguished from the other apostle James, son of Zebedee and brother of John. He is considered by some authors to be the author of one of the Catholic Epistles in the New Testament. He was favoured by an appearance of the Risen Christ (I Cor. 15:7). After the dispersion of the Apostles he was made Bishop of Jerusalem.

In the first reading (1 Corinthians 15:1-8) Paul mentions the appearances of the Risen Christ and states that “he appeared to James.” In the Gospel from John (14:6-14) we hear Philip’s request to Jesus “Lord, let us see the Father and we shall be satisfied” and Jesus’ reply “To have seen me is to see the Father.”