On May 1st, we will be celebrating and remembering Sts. Philip and James in our Divine Services.
The New Testament Gospels mention St. Philip as one of the apostles (Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:14, and Acts 1:13). But it’s in John’s Gospel where we get to know more about him. Philip was from Bethsaida in Galilee and was one of the first of Jesus’ disciples after Peter and Andrew. He also was instrumental in bringing Nathanael to Jesus (John 1:43-51). It was to Philip that Jesus posed the question about where to buy bread to feed the 5,000 (John 6:5). During Holy Week, Philip and Andrew brought some inquiring Greeks to Jesus (John 12:20-22). And on Maundy Thursday, Philip asked Jesus to show the Father to him and to the rest of the disciples (John 14:8). According to Tradition, Philip served as an Apostle in Phrygia, where he died and was buried.
St. James was a son of Alphaeus and was also called “the Younger” (to distinguish him from James, the son of Zebedee, “the Elder”). His mother, Mary, was one of the faithful women who stood at the cross of Jesus (Matthew 27:56 and Mark 15:40). The same New Testament apostolic lists that mention Philip also mention James. But, other than that, the New Testament makes no other mention of him. We also have no information about his Apostolic service or the circumstances of his death, except that he may have been martyred by being sawed in two.
