James the Less, apostle

May 3rd

Feast of Saints Phillip and James, Apostles. Phillip, who, like [Peter] and [Andrew], was born in Bethsaida and was disciple of [John the Baptist], was called by the Lord to continue it. James, Jacob or James "the Less", on the other hand, was the son of Alphaeus, nicknamed "Righteous", considered in the West as the relative of the Lord, was the first who governed the Church of Jerusalem, and when the controversy over circumcision arose he joined Peter, apparently so that it was not imposed on the disciples who would come from the pagan that old tradition. Soon crowned his Apostleship with martyrdom (century I). Roman martyrology