The Diocese of Dallas took the feast day of St. James the Apostle on July 25 as an opportunity to remind people of the man’s faithfulness to Jesus.

“Happy feast of St. James the Apostle!” the diocese posted on Facebook. “This faithful man followed Jesus so very closely during his life, even traveling to Spain to preach the Gospel leading the famous Camino de Santiago to be named for him. Today we celebrate with St. James Catholic Parish in Dallas, Texas. Happy Feast Day!” 

St. James is also known as James the Greater or James, son of Zebedee. He was one of Jesus' 12 apostles. Britannica notes that he and his brother John were among the first four apostles whom Jesus called to follow him, along with Peter and Andrew. James was a witness to some of the key events in Jesus' life, including the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden. 

James and John were fishing in the Sea of Galilee, and having little luck catching anything, when Jesus approached them, Catholic.org reports. The brothers were about to quit, but Jesus told them to cast their nets once more, and when they pulled them in, the nets were full of fish. 

After Jesus’ Ascension, James remained dedicated to the faith, traversing the Roman kingdom and Israel to spread the Gospel. Once he returned to Jerusalem, King Herod beheaded him, making James the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. 

Catholics celebrate the feast of St. James yearly on July 25, according to Franciscan Media, which adds that James is the patron saint of Chile, laborers, Nicaragua, people who suffer from Rheumatism, and Spain.