James the Just facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James
Neobyzantine icon of James
Apostle and Martyr, Adelphotheos
Born	Unknown
Died	69 AD or 62 AD Jerusalem
Venerated in	All Christianity
Canonized	Pre-congregation
Feast	May 3 (Roman Catholic), May 1 (Anglican), October 23 (Lutheran), (Episcopal Church (USA)), (Eastern Orthodox), December 26 (Eastern Orthodox)

James was a very important person in early Christianity. He lived during a time called the Apostolic Age, which was right after Jesus lived. James died around 62 AD or 69 AD.

People also called him James the Just or James, brother of the Lord. These names helped everyone know who he was, since there were other important people named James back then.

Many Christian groups, like Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, and Lutherans, believe that James and others called "brothers" of Jesus were not the biological children of Mary. Instead, they might have been Jesus's cousins or step-brothers from a previous marriage of Joseph.

Who Was James the Just?

James was known as "the Just" because he lived a very good and fair life. He followed special religious rules, like taking Nazarite vows. This meant he lived a very strict and holy life, showing his strong faith.

His name was also important when people talked about Jesus's family tree. When lists of Jesus's brothers and sisters were made, James's name always appeared first. This suggests that he was the oldest among Jesus's siblings or close relatives.

Images for kids

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  James the Just, a Russian icon from the 16th century.

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  This picture shows the death of James the Just. It's from a very old book called Menologion of Basil II, made around the year 1000.

See also

In Spanish: Santiago el Justo para niños