Saint James The Greater was one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. Son of Zebedee and Salome and brother of John The Apostle. He is called Saint James The Greater to distinguish him from James, son of Alphaeus, who is known as James The Less. James is described as one of the first disciples to join Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels state that James and John were with their father by the seashore when Jesus called them to follow him. According to the Gospel of Mark, James and John were called Boanerges, or the "Sons of Thunder". James was one of only three Apostles whom Jesus selected to bear witness to his Transfiguartion. Acts of the Apostles records that Agrippa the First had James executed by sword, making him the first of the Apostles to be martyred. His remains are in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. Saint James is the Patron Saint of Spain. The town where his remains are held is considered the third most holy town in Christendom. The traditional pilgramage to the grave of the Saint, known as the 'Way of S. James', has become the most popular pilgramage for Western European Catholics from the early Middle Ages onwards. The feast day of S. James the Greater is celebrated on 25th July on the liturgical calendars of the Roman Catholic, Anglican and certain Protestant churches. When 25th July falls on a Sunday, it is a "Jubilee" year, and a special east door is opened for entrance into the Santiago Cathedral.
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S. Ambrose was born sometime between 337 and 340 AD in Trier, Germany. He died on 4th April 397 in Milan, Italy. His body lies at the Basilica of Saint Ambrogio
in Milan. Ambrose was Bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the fourth century. He is counted as one of the four original doctors of the church. His feast day is celebrated on 7th December and he is
the Patron Saint of bee keepers, bees, candle makers, domestic animals, French Commissariat, learning, Milan, students and wax refiners. There is a legend that as
an infant, a swarm of bees settled on Ambrose's face while he lay in his cradle and
left behind a single drop of honey.
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S. Maria Goretti was born on 16th October 1890 and is an Italian Virgin-Martyr. She
is one of the youngest people to be canonized. She died on 6th July 1902 after being stabbed multiple times by her attempted rapist after she refused him because of her love of Jesus and her loyalty to the Ten Commandments. Her shrine is at Nettuno, Province of Rome, Lazio in Italy. She is the Patron Saint of crime victims, teenage girls, modern youth and Children of Mary. She was canonized on 24th June 1950.
S. James's Church, Oldham holds a relic of S. Maria Goretti.
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S. Anthony of Padua was born in Lisbon in 1195 and died on 13th June 1231 in Padua. His shrine is the Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua in Italy. S. Anthony is one of the most beloved of Saints, his images and statues are ubiquitous. He is especially invoked for the recovery of lost things. When he died, it is said that the children cried in the streets and that all the bells of the churches rang of their own accord, rung by Angels who came to earth to honour the death of the Saint.
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S. Joseph was the husband of Mary. Although he was not the biological father of Jesus, he acted as his foster-father and as head of the Holy Family. Joseph is venerated as a Saint within the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican churches. His primary Feast Day is 19th March. In addition to his primary feast day, S. Joseph is honoured by the Feast of S. Joseph the Worker on 1st May. This feast day was introduced by Pope Pius XII in 1955 to counteract May Day.
S. Joseph is the Patron Saint of The Universal Church, workers, against doubt
and hesitation, and of a happy death.
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S. Mary (Our Lady, Blessed Virgin Mary) was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, identified in the New Testament as the mother of Jesus of Nazareth. She is venerated in the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Anglican Church, Islam, and certain Protestant denominations. Saint Mary is
commemorated on as many as 25 different days. The most universally observed
are The Annunciation (25th March), The Assumption (15th August), Her Birthday (8th September), Her Conception (December 8th), and her oldest feast (on the octave day of Christmas) Mary Mother of God on 1st January. This feast was established after
the Council of Ephesus (in 431 AD) which declared her to be the Theotokos,
the 'God-Bearer'.
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We have provided a biography for each of the Saints for whom we have a special veneration and an image at S. James's Church. We also have two images of
the Sacred Heart, one of these is placed in the south entrance porch to welcome people as they come into church. We also have images of S. Michael and
S. George which are incorporated into the 1920 war memorial, and images
of many other Saints which are incorporated into the stained glass windows.
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S. James S. Ambrose S. Maria Goretti S. Anthony S. Joseph