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02Knights Templar - Julian Emperor

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EARLY CHRISTIAN SAINTS AND MARTYRS<br />

pilgrims to scoop up water to drink from streams or fountains<br />

which they came across on their journey.<br />

St James the Less<br />

There is some confusion about the actual identity of St James<br />

the Less. The title itself is intended to differentiate between<br />

the two apostles named James and otherwise has no real significance.<br />

Because a number of figures within the gospel are<br />

named as James, a number of traditions have arisen. He is<br />

sometimes identified with James the brother of Jesus, James<br />

whose mother stood by Jesus on the cross and also with the<br />

individual responsible for writing the Epistle of James. It has<br />

been suggested that St James the Less was the first Bishop of<br />

the Jerusalem Church and early Jewish writings refer to him<br />

as James the Just. Perhaps suitably, there is also confusion over<br />

the manner of his martyrdom. One tradition claims that the<br />

Sanhedrin – the powerful Jewish elite of which St Joseph of<br />

Arimathea, who donated his own tomb to Christ following<br />

the crucifixion, had been a member – sentenced him to be<br />

stoned to death and then grotesquely sawn into two pieces. It<br />

has also been claimed that St James the Less was martyred by<br />

being beaten with clubs. Therefore, in religious art, his emblem<br />

is sometimes a saw and sometimes a club. He was martyred<br />

in 62 AD.<br />

St Bartholomew<br />

In the Synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke,<br />

Bartholomew is listed amongst the names of the apostles.<br />

However, in the gospel of St John, he is referred to as<br />

Nathaniel. It is widely accepted that the two are, in fact, one<br />

and the same. Bartholomew apparently means‘son ofTolmai’.<br />

Tradition states that St Bartholomew became a missionary in<br />

•23•

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