The Feast of St. James the Apostle, observed on July 25th, honors one of Jesus’ closest disciples and the first apostle to be martyred. James, the brother of John and a witness to key events like the Transfiguration and Gethsemane, embodies the cost of faithful discipleship. His feast day reminds us of the call to courage, sacrificial witness, and the apostolic foundation of the Church. As a patron of pilgrims, St. James also represents the spiritual journey all Christians undertake, guided by grace and strengthened by the example of those who have gone before in faith.