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Iakov Alfeev, son of Alpheus (Hebrew יעקב בן-חלפַי, Yaakov Ben Halfay), brother of Thaddeus - the apostle of Jesus Christ, mentioned in the New Testament. Brother of the Apostle Judas Jacob, possibly the brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew. In the three Gospels, his name is listed in the list of twelve (Matt; Mark; Luke), but no other information about him is reported.

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An excerpt characterizing Jacob Alfeyev

“I don’t say anything so that all the orders are good,” said Prince Andrew, “but I cannot understand how you can judge Bonaparte like that. Laugh as you like, but Bonaparte is still a great commander!
- Mikhail Ivanovich! - shouted the old prince to the architect, who, having taken up the roast, hoped that they forgot about him. - Did I tell you that Bonaparte is a great tactician? There he speaks.
- Why, Your Excellency, - answered the architect.
The prince laughed again with his cold laugh.
- Bonaparte was born in a shirt. His soldiers are wonderful. Yes, and the first he attacked the Germans. And only the lazy did not beat the Germans. Since the world has stood, the Germans have been beaten. And they are nobody. Only each other. He made his glory on them.
And the prince began to analyze all the mistakes that, in his opinion, Bonaparte made in all his wars and even in public affairs. The son did not mind, but it was clear that no matter what arguments were presented to him, he was just as little able to change his mind as the old prince. Prince Andrew listened, refraining from objections and involuntarily wondering how this old man, sitting for so many years without a break in the countryside, could know and discuss all the military and political circumstances of Europe in recent years in such detail and with such subtlety.
- Do you think I, old man, do not understand the real state of affairs? - he concluded. - And that's where it is for me! I don't sleep at night. Well, where is this great commander of yours, where did he show himself?
- It would be long, - answered the son.
- Go to your Buonaparte. M lle Bourienne, voila encore un admirateur de votre goujat d "empereur! [Here's another admirer of your servile emperor ...] - he shouted in excellent French.
- Vous savez, que je ne suis pas bonapartiste, mon prince. [You know, prince, that I am not a Bonapartist.]
- "Dieu sait quand reviendra" ... [God knows, he will return when!] - the prince sang out of tune, laughed even more fake and left the table.
The little princess was silent throughout the argument and the rest of the meal and looked frightened now at Princess Marya, now at her father-in-law. When they left the table, she took her sister-in-law by the hand and called her to another room.
- Comme c "est un homme d" esprit votre pere, "she said," c "est a cause de cela peut etre qu" il me fait peur. [What a smart man your father is. Maybe that's why I'm afraid of him.]
- Ax, he's so kind! - said the princess.

Prince Andrew was leaving the next evening. The old prince, not deviating from his order, after dinner went to his room. The little princess was with her sister-in-law. Prince Andrey, dressed in a traveling frock coat without epaulettes, lay down with his valet in the chambers assigned to him. Having examined the stroller and the packing of the suitcases himself, he ordered it to be pawned. Only those things remained in the room that Prince Andrey always took with him: a casket, a large silver cellar, two Turkish pistols and a saber, a gift from his father, brought from near Ochakov. All these travel accessories were in great order with Prince Andrey: everything was new, clean, in cloth covers, carefully tied with ribbons.
In the moments of departure and a change in life, people who are able to think over their actions usually find a serious mood of thoughts. In these minutes, the past is usually verified and plans for the future are made. Prince Andrey's face was very thoughtful and tender. He, with his hands folded back, walked quickly around the room from corner to corner, looking ahead of himself, and thoughtfully shook his head. Was he afraid to go to war, was he sad to leave his wife - maybe both, only, apparently, not wanting to be seen in this position, hearing footsteps in the entryway, he hurriedly freed his hands, stopped at the table, as if he was tying the cover of the box, and assumed his usual, calm and impenetrable expression. These were the heavy steps of Princess Marya.

Memorial days: June 30 (12 apr.), October 9

Fresco of the XII century. Vladimir

Saint James Alfeyev, apostle of 12

Brother of the apostle and evangelist Matthew (+ 60; Comm. 16/29 November), who was formerly a tax collector. He was called by the Lord Himself among the 12 apostles and, along with the rest, was sent to preach.

After the descent of the Holy Spirit, he first preached in Judea, then accompanied St. to the Apostle Andrew the First-Called (+ 62; Comm. 30 November / 13 December) to Edessa. He spread the gospel evangelism in Gaza, Eleutheropolis and neighboring places, and from there he went to Egypt. Here, in the city of Ostratsin (a seaside town on the border with Palestine), he was crucified on a cross.

Life of the Holy Apostle James Alfeyev

The Holy Apostle James was the son of Alpheus and the brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, formerly a tax collector. When our Lord Jesus Christ, dwelling on earth in the flesh, chose simple and pious people as apostolic dignity in order to send them to preach the Gospel to the universe, then He also chose this Jacob and, as worthy, put him to the apostolic face (Matthew 10 : 3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). And Jacob became one of the twelve apostles, a self-visionary and a servant of Christ, a preacher of His mysteries and His follower. Having accepted with the other apostles the Holy Spirit, who descended on them in tongues of fire, 2 he went to the pagans to preach Christ and instruct the lost on the path of salvation. Kindled by the fire of Divine zeal, he scorched the thorns of atheism, crushed idols, destroyed their churches, healed various ailments, drove away evil spirits from people and brought many people to Christ, through which he acquired a new name for himself: the Divine seed. For he sowed God's word in the hearts of men, planted faith and increased piety: for this reason he was called the Divine seed.

Traveling around many countries, he sowed the seed of heaven, reaped the harvest of human salvation, and ended his earthly course with Christ's feet: being an imitator of Christ's sufferings, he gave up his spirit to God nailed to the cross.

And this Divine seed was gathered, Saint James, with the fruits, brought a hundredfold, into the heavenly granary; there, saturating himself with the vision of the face of God, he intercedes for us with his prayers for the same saturation.

Kontakion, voice 2:

We have firmly invested the wisdom of dogma in the souls of the pious, let us praise all of Jacob with praises: the Lord is coming to the throne for glory, and with all the angels rejoices, praying ceaselessly for all of us.

________________________________________________________________________

1 Together with the other apostles, James Alfeyev was sent by the Lord to preach. Matthew 10: 3.

2 After the ascension of the Lord, Jacob Alfeyev stayed with the other apostles in Jerusalem in the upper room of Zion (Acts 1:13), as well as for some time after the descent of the Holy Spirit (6: 2).

3 Apt. Jacob Alfeyev performed the apostolic ministry, first in Judea, then accompanied the Apostle. Andrew the First-Called to Edessa (Edessa - present-day Orpah - the ancient famous city of Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River), preached the teachings of Christ in Gaza (one of the most ancient Philistine cities on the border with the Kingdom of Judah, during the Apostolic times belonged to Syria) and Eleutheropolis (the city of Southern Palestine on the road between Jerusalem and Gaza) and adjacent places, from where he went to Egypt and here in the city of Ostratsin (seaside city \u200b\u200bon the border with Palestine) captured his apostolic labors by his martyrdom on the cross.

[greek. ᾿Ιάκωβος τοῦ ῾Αλφαίου], ap. dated 12 (commemoration of October 9 and 30 June in the Cathedral of the 12 Apostles; memorial of Byzantine. November 9; memorial of the West. 1 and 11 May). In the tradition that identifies him with Jacob, the brother of the Lord, he is called Jacob the Younger (Minor).

In NT, 12 apostles are mentioned in all the lists, and always in 9th place (Mt 10.3; Mk 3. 18; Luke 6.15; Acts 1.13). St. Cyril of Alexandria calls the homeland I. A. Capernaum (PG. 69. Col. 1156-1157). Judging by the fact that in Mark 2.14 Matthew the tax collector is called Levi Alfeyev, it can be assumed that he was I.A.'s brother, and since nothing is reported about I.A.'s calling in the Gospels, it is quite possible that Jesus Christ Matthew brought him in. Acts 1:13 reports on the participation of IA, along with other apostles in the celebration of Pentecost (cf. Acta Thomae. 1).

Already from the earliest times in church writing, attempts were made to identify I.A. with other apostles bearing the name Jacob. So, St. John Chrysostom (Ioan. Chrysost. In Matth. 32, 3 // PG. 57. Col. 380) considered James Zebedee and I.A. to be one person. Sometimes I. A. was identified with Thaddeus and Levi (Hesych. Alex. Lexicon (Latte)); perhaps that is why Theodoret of Kirsky called IA a tax collector (Theodoret. Interpr. in Ps. 67, 7 // PG. 80. Col. 1380). However, the most common, and for the Western tradition (with the exception of Blessed Jerome (PL. 23. Col. 180)), was the identification of I.A. with James, the brother of the Lord, who, although not mentioned in the lists of the NT apostles, but played an important role in the apostolic community. In the East, contrary to R. Plotino (Plotino, Cardinali. 1965. P. 403), this opinion was shared by a few: probably for the first time it occurs in the "Sketches" of Clement of Alexandria (῾Υποτυπώσεις - Euseb. Hist. Eccl. II 1. 4) , which speaks only of 2 Jacob: the Righteous and the other, beheaded by the sword. Most Greek. Church writers who mentioned I.A. were silent about his identity with other apostles of the same name. Plotino's assumption and about the initial identity of I.A. and Jacob, brother of the Lord (Plotino, Cardinali. 1965. P. 401), and about their separation only from the 3rd century. (cf .: Canones et Decreta Sacrosanti Oecumenici Concilii Tridentini. R., 1834. Sessio XIV: De extrema unctione, can. 1, 3. P. 80) looks completely unfounded.

Information about the future fate of I.A. in church writing is extremely scarce. Greek. the anonymous Martyrdom of I.A. (BHG, N 762z) remains unpublished, but judging by its size - in manuscripts (2 sheets) - it contains the most concise information about the apostle. Nikita David Paphlagon in his encomia I.A. (BHG, N 763; published in PG. 105. Col. 1516-1517) reports on his sermons and clashes with pagans in the Palestinian cities of Eleutheropolis, Gaza and Tire and death on the cross in Egypt ... Ostracin.

I.A., due to confusion with other James and Levi Thaddeus, in the apostolic lists of hagiographers (Van Esbroeck. 1994; Vinogradov. 2005) either does not occur at all, or even takes place below the Gospel ninth: from the tenth to the fourteenth (the exception is eighth in the Greek list of Pseudo-Simeon Logofet). Also, the name of IA is mentioned in other apocryphal works that list the apostles (eg, Const. Ap. 8, 23; Vinogradov. 2005). In view of the scarcity of other hagiographic material, the information about I.A. contained in the apostolic copies is extremely important. They boil down mainly to the following: he comes from the tribe of Manasseh (the Syr. Le list specifies - from Jordan). According to the lists of the so-called. "2nd Syrian type" and "Byzantine type" (Vinogradov. 2005), IA accepts death in Marmarika (Pseudo-Simeon Logofet specifies: stoned by the Jews). Information completely different from this tradition is reported by 2 lists of the so-called. "1st Syrian type": Lp, Le and, in part, Armenian - from Cod. Matenadaran 993. According to them, IA preached in Vost. Syria: Palmyra (Tadmore), Kallinike (Raqqe), Kirkesia, Maskane, and was killed and buried in Batnan (Greek Batny, now Suruch, Turkey), where he built a temple and founded the apostolic see. According to M. van Esbroeck (1983), this tradition is generated by the desire to prove the independence of the Church of Sarug. Arm. list BHO, no. 87, as well as byzant. lists, starting with the earliest (Turner. 1914), identifies IA with Jacob, the brother of the Lord, and BHO, N 91 calls a virgin. The Greek lists from the Vat codes. gr. 1974 and Vat. Pian. gr. 47 I.A.'s brother is Judas. The mixed Dorofeev-Ippolitov list combines information about the death and burial of I.A. in Caesarea and Marmarika. Lists from Vat codes. gr. 1967 and 2156 provide information about I. A, not confirmed by other sources: his father's name was Andron, and his mother was Eutykhia; he came from Hierapolis, was a stone cutter and died with his shins broken. In the list of Commentaries on the Gospel of Luke (in catena), St. Cyril of Alexandria, the name IA is translated as “the power of the life's walking”, and in two Latin - as “strengthening the teaching” or “circumventing the teaching” (Capelle. 1926).

In Zap. Church memory I.A. (identified with Jacob, Apostle from 70, schmch.) Together with Apostle. Philip was celebrated on May 1 (the day of the consecration of the basilica in honor of the 12 apostles on Venice Square in Rome). In 1956, Pope Pius XII postponed the memorial day of I.A. to 11 May.

The head of IA is kept in the Cathedral of St. Mark in Venice, a particle of relics - in the Basilica of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Bari. In c. Deposition on Donskoy Street the icon was kept in Moscow, into which the frontal bone of I.A. was inserted. The icon entered the church in 1857 from the Nezhin Greek K.A. Buba with the blessing of St. Filaret, Met. Moscow.

Source: SynCP. Col. 121, 206, 781; Capelle B. La liste des apôtres dans un sermon de Maximin // RBen. 1926. Vol. 38. P. 5-15; Leloir L. Écrits apocryphes sur les apôtres. Turnhout 1986. (CCSA; Vol. 3); Νικόδημος. Συναξαριστής. Τ. 1. Σ. 312; Van Esbroeck, M. Neuf listes d "apôtres orientales," Augustinianum, 1994, T. 34, P. 109-199.

A. Yu. Vinogradov

Iconography

In Greek. Herminius Dionysius Fournoagraphiot (1st half of the 18th century), a description of the appearance of IA ("young, with a pointed beard") was given among the apostles from 70 with the explanation: "He is one of the twelve apostles." In Russian. icon-painting originals (XVIII century) of the consolidated edition of I.A. is indicated to depict under June 30 in the Cathedral of the 12 apostles opposite St. Andrew: "... rus, brother of Kozmin (St. Cosmas the Unsarebrenik. - Ed.), A robe with a gaff with whitewash, underside the lazor" (quoted from: Bolshakov. Original icon painting. P. 111) and on the saint's commemoration day at 9 Oct., and the likenesses of the saint's appearance differ: “... the brada of the menshi of Basil of Caesarea, the robe of the vokhra with white, underside the lazor” (Ibid. p. 37), “... in the likeness of rus, the brada is simple, the share of Matthew the Evangelist, the robe apostolic vokhra with whitewash, underside of the lazor "(quoted from: Filimonov. Icon-painting original. P. 168).

I. with early Christ. time is depicted in the circle of the 12 apostles. His vestments are chiton and himation. The age characteristics of IA could change. It could be a Middle Ages with a short dark beard (in a mosaic medallion on the vault of the Oratorio of the Archbishop's Chapel in Ravenna, between 494 and 519) or a beardless youth (in the mosaics of the destroyed churches of Sant'Agata in Suburra in Rome, 2nd half of the 5th century ., and San Prisco in Capua, V-VI centuries). In different periods, the attributes of the saint also varied: with the crown of the martyr in the hands of I.A. is represented among the apostles in the mosaic of the dome in c. San Giovanni in Fonte in Ravenna (mid-5th century). The image of I.A. is a part of the apostolic rite, decorating the altar barrier (templon) on a marble panel originating from Thessalonica (2nd half of the 10th century, Byzantine Museum, Athens), the apostle is presented full-length (with the caption: “ΙΑΚΩΒΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΛΘΑΙΟΥ ") next to the apostles Philip and Luke. The figures are made using the technique of in-depth (or flat) relief, once they were filled with glass paste, apparently of blue or light blue color (fragmentary preserved on the clothes of St. Luke). Dr. example of the image of IA among the 12 apostles - the icon "Cathedral of the Holy Apostles" 1st Thursday. XIV century. (Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts), where I.A. is represented among the young apostles in the 2nd row from the right, in a blue chiton and a dark himation, with short dark hair and a beard, slightly bowing his head and looking straight at the praying one.

Examples of a single-person image of I.A. in full-length are found in the minean cycles under October 9, for example. on miniatures of the manuscript of the Service Gospel (Vat. gr. 1156. Fol. 257v. K-pol, 3rd quarter of the 11th century), Synaxar of Zachary of Valashkert (Kekel. A648, 1st quarter of the 11th century, without pagination) ...

The scene of I.A. Basil II, which depicts how he was beaten with stones (Vat. Gr. 1613. P. 102. K-pol, 976-1025). Probably, the compositions known from the Mynaean cycles in medieval paintings go back to this scheme. temples of the Balkans. In the frescoes of c. vmch. George in Staro-Nagorichino, Macedonia (1317-1318), to the west. the slope of the sowing arch. walls under 9 Oct. there is a scene where the defeated I.A. is beaten by 2 people. In c. Dormition of the Theotokos mon-rya Gracanitsa, Kosovo and Metohija (c. 1320), in the lower tier to the north. south-east side. pillar of another scene: lying half-naked I. is beaten by 2 men standing at the edges of the bed (inscription: "sti apsl yakov alfeev with voluimi veins bien biv"). In the painting of the Catholicon of the Athonite mon-ry Dionysiates (1547) in the scene of torment, I.A. is pierced with arrows. In the paintings of c. St. Apostles in Pecs (1561) in the central grass is the crucifixion of I.A. on the cross: the apostle with a bandage on his loins, the executioner drives a nail into his legs.

In the monuments of fine art, scenes of the death of I.A., different from the Byzantines, have been preserved. Minologiyev and, possibly, associated with the influence of the history of ap. Jacob, brother of the Lord. According to this version, I.A. was thrown from the roof of the temple. Such an image has been preserved in miniatures of the Stuttgart Passionale (Stuttg. Cod. Bibl. 56-58, c. 1130, see: Boeckler A. Das Stuttgarter Passionale. Augsburg, 1923. Add. 30). In the mosaics of San Marco in Venice (beginning of the 13th century), among the cycles of apostolic torments, it is presented how a certain Jew pushes I.A. from the roof of a building that has the shape of an octagon with a dome on columns, for the second time I.A. is represented lying at the foot.

Images of I.A. in the monuments of the West. art even within the framework of the Byzantine. influences bring him closer to the ap. James, the brother of the Lord: for example, in the mosaics of the Palatine chapel in Palermo (1132-1140) I.A. is represented standing in the vestments of a bishop (in polystavria, with an omophorion and with a book). In the same way, as a bishop with an omophorion and with the Gospel, next to Peter and Paul, I.A. is represented on frescoes in the crypt of San Lorenzo in Fasano (XI-XII centuries). In zap. iconography always depicted as an apostle in an antique tunic and a himation with the Gospel, and later with the attributes of martyrdom.

In dr. Russia, the center of special reverence for I.A. was Vel. Novgorod. On Novgorod icons one can find his images associated with a patronal theme, as, for example, on the icon "The Nativity of the Mother of God" as a belt image in a medallion on the field with a signature (late 14th - early 15th centuries, Tretyakov Gallery). The image of I.A. is present in the Novgorod manuscripts of the Chronicle of Cosmas Indikoplov as part of the composition with the saints in medallions on the sides of the Cross of the Lord (several copies are known created in the 1st half of the 16th century: the 1539 manuscript from the collection of Prince Obolensky, included in the August volume of the Great Menaus according to the Sofia list (RGADA. F. MFA. No. 159. Sheet 6); from the library of Priest Sylvester, confessor of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, invested in the Solovetsky Monastery in 1552 (RNB OR F.IV.683. Sheet 1 v.), And from the library of St. Sophia Cathedral in Vel. Novgorod (NL. Sof. 1197, sheet 5)). IA is depicted in a medallion to the waist (with the signature: "Oagios Jacob Alfeyev") in the lower tier and is a pair with St. Sylvester, Pope. I.A., a mature husband, in an antique chiton and himation, with short hair and a beard, an omophorion on his shoulders, and a book on his covered left hand. In such a variant, confusion with the iconography of the ap. Jacob, brother of the Lord, also venerated in Vel. Novgorod. In the church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Sign" on Ilyin st. in 1615, according to the painting of the Novgorod monasteries and churches, there was a chapel in the name of Apostle. Jacob Alfeev, where, undoubtedly, there was his temple icon (Inventory of Novgorod in 1617 / Ed .: V.L. Yanin. M., 1984. Part 2. S. 329).

In Russian. in the art of the late Middle Ages, the image of IA is found on icons from the Deesis tier (early 17th century, National Museum, Stockholm); as the patron saint of the customer is represented in the icon “The Mother of God of Pechersk, with St. Euphemia, Jacob Alfeyev, St. Martin and John the Warrior ”(17th century, private collection).

Lit .: Herminia DF. P. 156; Garrucci R. Storia della arte cristiana nei primi otto secoli della chiesa. Prato, 1877. T. 4. Tav. 240.2, 255; Medea A. Gli affreschi nelle cripte eremitiche pugliesi. R., 1939. T. 2. Fig. 31; Antonova, Meeva. Catalog. 1963. T. 1. No. 41, p. 104; Mijovi. Menologue. S. 193, 194, 234, 263, 347, 363, 378; Lazarev V.N. History of the Byzantine. painting. M., 1986. Il. 512, 513, p. 165; The Glory of Byzantium: Art and Culture of the Middle Byzantine Era, A. D. 843-1261: / Ed .: H. Evans, W. D. Wixom. N. Y. 1997. Cat. 9.P. 43; LCI. Bd. 7. Sp. 47-51; Gordienko E.A. Novgorod in the 16th century and his spiritual life. SPb., 2001.S. 171, 208. Fig. 80. Tab. XIX, XXIII; Benchev I. Icons of patron saints. M., 2007.S. 259.

The Holy Apostle James was the son of Alpheus and the brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, formerly a tax collector. When our Lord Jesus Christ, dwelling on earth in the flesh, chose simple and pious people to be an apostolic dignity in order to send them to preach the Gospel to the universe, then He chose this Jacob and, as worthy, put him to the apostolic face (Matthew 10 : 3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). And Jacob became one of the twelve apostles, a self-visionary and a servant of Christ, a preacher of His mysteries and His follower. Having accepted with the other apostles the Holy Spirit, who descended on them in tongues of fire, 2 he went to the pagans to preach Christ and instruct the lost on the path of salvation. Kindled by the fire of Divine zeal, he scorched the thorns of atheism, crushed idols, destroyed their churches, healed various ailments, drove away evil spirits from people and brought many people to Christ, through which he acquired a new name for himself: the Divine seed. For he sowed God's word in the hearts of men, planted faith and increased piety: for this reason he was called the Divine seed.
Traveling around many countries, he sowed the seed of heaven, reaped the harvest of human salvation, and ended his earthly course with Christ's feet: being an imitator of Christ's sufferings, he gave up his spirit to God nailed to the cross.
And this Divine seed was gathered, Saint Jacob, with the fruits, which were borne a hundredfold, into the heavenly granary; there, saturating himself with the vision of the face of God, he intercedes for us with his prayers for the same saturation.
Kontakion, voice 2:
We have firmly invested the wisdom of dogma in the souls of the pious, let us praise all of Jacob with praises: the Lord is coming to the throne for glory, and with all the angels rejoices, praying ceaselessly for all of us.

1 Together with the other apostles, James Alfeyev was sent by the Lord to preach. Matthew 10: 3.
2 After the ascension of the Lord, Jacob Alfeyev stayed with the other apostles in Jerusalem in the upper room of Zion (Acts 1:13), as well as for some time after the descent of the Holy Spirit (6: 2).
3 Apt. Jacob Alfeyev performed the apostolic ministry, first in Judea, then accompanied the Apostle. Andrew the First-Called to Edessa (Edessa - present-day Orpah - the ancient famous city of Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River), preached the teachings of Christ in Gaza (one of the most ancient Philistine cities on the border with the Kingdom of Judah, during the Apostolic times belonged to Syria) and Eleutheropolis (the city of Southern Palestine on the road between Jerusalem and Gaza) and adjacent places, from where he went to Egypt and here in the city of Ostratsin (a seaside city on the border with Palestine) captured his apostolic labors by martyrdom on the cross.

Apostle Jacob Alfeyev († 60)

The Holy Apostle James Alfeyev was one of the 12 apostles (disciples) of Jesus Christ.

According to the life, the holy Apostle James was the son of Alpheus and the brother of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, who was formerly a tax collector.

He preached in Judea, and then, together with the Apostle Andrew, went to Edessa (Edessa - today's Orpah - the ancient famous city of Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River). After that he independently preached in Gaza (one of the most ancient Philistine cities on the border with the Kingdom of Judah, during the Apostolic times belonged to Syria) and Eleutheropolis (the city of Southern Palestine on the road between Jerusalem and Gaza) and adjacent places, from where he was poisoned to Egypt, and here in the city of Ostratsin (a seaside city on the border with Palestine), he captured his apostolic works by martyrdom on the cross.

Because of his confusion with other Jacob, it is difficult to trace his path in the Christian tradition. There are several versions about his death and burial. In some authors, for example, in Pseudo-Simeon Logofet, he dies in Marmarica (“stoned by the Jews”), while in others he was martyred on the way to Egypt in the city of Ostratsin (crucified on the cross).

James Alfeyev should be distinguished from the Apostle James Zebedee or James the Elder, as well as from James, the “brother of the Lord,” an apostle from among the 70, the first bishop of Jerusalem, called James the Younger. Confusion among some authors in the past has been facilitated by the fact that Jacob Alfeyev is also sometimes referred to as Jacob the Younger.

Remembrance in the Orthodox Church is performed (according to the Julian calendar): June 30 / July 13 (Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles) and 9/22 October .

Kontakion of the Apostle, voice 2:
We have firmly invested the wisdom of dogma in the souls of the pious, let us praise all of Jacob with praises: the Lord is coming to the throne for glory, and with all the angels rejoices, praying ceaselessly for all of us.