Saint James the Greater Medal Necklace - Patron Saint of Spain and Pilgrims

Saint James the Greater, Patron Saint of Spain and Pilgrims

James was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee when Jesus called him and his brother John away from their nets. Along with Peter, the two brothers formed Christ's innermost circle, present at the Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane in his final hours. In AD 44, James became the first of the apostles to be martyred, beheaded in Jerusalem on the order of Herod Agrippa. Tradition holds that he had preached the Gospel in Spain before his death, and his remains were later carried to Galicia, in the northwest corner of the country. The shrine built over his relics at Santiago de Compostela became one of Christendom's greatest pilgrimage destinations, and the routes leading to it, collectively known as the Camino de Santiago, still draw hundreds of thousands of walkers every year.

A Gift For...

• A pilgrim walking, or planning to walk, the Camino de Santiago
• Someone of Spanish heritage or named James, Santiago, Diego, or Jaime
• A confirmation candidate choosing the name of one of the original Twelve
• Anyone facing a long journey, literal or personal
• Someone who values steady companionship on a hard road
• A Saint James's Day gift on July 25, for anyone connected to Spain or the Camino

A Confirmation Gift for James

Few confirmation names connect a candidate this directly to Christ's original inner circle. Engrave a name and confirmation date, and let that lineage speak for itself.

The Saint James Medal

This medal depicts him as a pilgrim, cloaked and staff in hand, his robe marked with the fine detail of a well-worn traveler's garment, his halo radiating outward. The natural gold or silver of the metal forms the illustration itself. Black ink is applied to the pendant surface and the metal shows through as the image. A shatterproof liquid glass coating seals the surface. The result has a depth and precision that printed medals don't achieve.

Personalization and Engraving

The optional engraving on the reverse is rendered in Tangerine cursive, two lines, up to 20 characters each. Many choose a name and confirmation date, while others engrave a Camino start or finish date, or the pilgrim's phrase, "Buen Camino."

Saint James's feast day is July 25, and the pilgrimage route that carries his name has been walked continuously for over a thousand years, making it one of the oldest living traditions in the Christian world.