Saint Alphaeus the Apostle
Saint James of Alphaeus was one of the twelve disciples of the Lord, brother of Matthew the evangelist and son of Alphaeus. James, after fighting for the truth of Christ in Jerusalem, then went to other countries to preach the Gospel. There, he destroyed the altars of the idols and with the grace of God he cured diseases and cast out unclean spirits. That is why the pagans called him divine sperm. The sweat, toils and dangers he suffered for the spread of the Gospel were many. Death came close to him many times, but in Jacob's mind the encouraging words of the Lord dominated, "whoever wants to follow me, deny myself and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mark, v. 34). He who wants to follow me as my true disciple, says the Lord, let him renounce his sin-corrupted self, and make the decision to suffer for me not only sorrow and trial, but even death on the cross. And then let him follow me, imitating my example. Thus also James, imitating his Master, suffered death on the cross.
He has gone down in history as James the Less, also identified by the 4th century priest Jerome as the same person also called "James the Just" and "James the brother of Jesus" in the Bible, considered by Jerome and others to be really Jesus' cousin.
Less commonly, he is traditionally identified with James, son of Alphaeus, one of the Twelve Apostles.
In the New Testament, the name "James" identifies many men. James the Less was named only in reference to his mother "Mary", who is also the mother of Joseph, who is called Joseph by Mark.
There are four references:
"Mary the mother of James and Joseph" (Matthew 27:56).
"Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses" (Mark 15:40) ("James the younger" here has also been translated "James the younger").
"Mary the mother of James" (Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10).
This "Mary" may have been Mary of Clopas, mentioned only in John 19:25. It is unlikely that Mary is the mother of Jesus, as she is not identified as the mother of Jesus, but is only called the mother of James the Younger and Joseph/Josiah. In Matthew 27:56, she is clearly distinguished from the mother of James, son of Zebedee
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