“Brother of the Lord”

In the New Testament there are three apostles who bear the same name. There is James, the son of Zebedee (often referred to as James the Greater), James, son of Alphaeus (known as the Lesser), and then James Adelphotheos (meaning “Brother of the Lord” in Greek), because he was either a cousin of Jesus’ or a half-brother from Joseph’s prior marriage before becoming betrothed to Mary. It is this James which the Orthodox Church commemorates today.

Both Eusebius and Clement of Alexandria write that this later James was also commonly called “the Just” because of his righteousness and outstanding virtue. It was this James who was elected the first bishop (Patriarch) of Jerusalem.

The oldest surviving Christian liturgy, the Liturgy of St. James, is ascribed to him as well as the pastoral epistle that appears in the New Testament.

Fr. John