Saints Philip And James The Less – 3 May – Saint Of The Day In Sacred Art
Saints Philip And James The Less. Apostles and preachers. Patron saints of workers, pharmacists and hat-makers. .
Apostles Philip and James (Iacobos) the Less lived during the time Jesus and knew him personally. “The Less” is not because James was less important than other followers of Jesus, but for the purpose to distinguish him from the other apostle James (who for that same reason was called “the Great”).
Although these two apostles are inseparable now in the Christian calendar and are commemorated on the same day, it would be not correct to assume that they were extremely dependent on each other in real life.
A disciple of Jesus, Philip, was among other people who were witnesses of John the Baptist pointing out Jesus as the Lamb of God. Philip was present also at the wedding in Cana. And it was Philip whom Jesus tested with the question about how to feed the 5000 people. Philip was also at the Last Supper, and it was him who asked Jesus to show them the Father (provoking with this question the explanation of one of the most important Christian believes – the unity of the Father and the Son).
As for James, he was a cousin of Jesus. James’ father, Clopas, was the brother of Joseph, the legal father of Jesus. interesting is also the role of James’ mother, Mary of Clopas. She was among the women who were weeping at the foot of the cross of Jesus.
Symbolism in sacred art
Saint Philip is usually associated with the symbol of the cross. Other symbols assigned to Philip are a basket filled with bread, a spear with the patriarchal cross, and a cross with a carpenter’s square.
Saint James’ symbols are a fuller’s club (a fuller is someone who cleans the wool and thickens it by beating with the club) and a book (the Gospel).
Saint Philip
Byzantine iconography of the 10th century – Spanish Renaissance – French Baroque – Flemish Baroque – Spanish Baroque – French Belle Époque
Saint James the Less
Byzantine iconography (13th–14th century) – Spanish Renaissance – Spanish Baroque – Italian School of mid 17th century
