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Today we commemorate Saint James the Apostle, a leading figure in the early Christian Church in Jerusalem, he is referred to as "the Just" because he was the son of Joseph from a previous marriage before his betrothal to the Theotokos Mary. His memory is honored by the Christian Church on October 23 and on the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ.
James did not follow Christ during His public ministry. However, after the Resurrection, when the Lord appeared to him, he believed and took on responsible activities in the early Church. He was the first bishop of Jerusalem and participated in the Jerusalem Apostolic Council (49 AD). He remained closely connected to the Judeo-Christian communities and was held in high esteem by the Jews. Josephus refers to him as "the Just" and mentions that James was martyred by stoning in 62 AD.
James is considered the author of the first Divine Liturgy, which was later shortened by Saint Basil the Great and then by John Chrysostom due to its length. He is also attributed with the first of the seven Catholic Epistles in the New Testament.
HeΒ emphasizes our new identity as children of God, who bestows His abundant gifts, which we, His children, must share equally.
He condemns greed as entirely incompatible with the Christian identity and establishes that relationships among people should be governed by justice and love.
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