SANTIAGO Saint James Apostle

SANTIAGO Saint James Apostle

“SANTIAGO” Saint James Apostle, La Antigua’s Patron Saint Saint James the Greater or James the Great is La Antigua Guatemala Patron Saint. Saint James’ Day is celebrated in La Antigua and many cities in the Spanish America, on July 25. Saint James is one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus. James is one of the sons of Zebedee. But why is he Antigua’s Patron Saint? […]

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Fiesta Time in La Antigua!

La Antigua maintains its holiday in honor of St. James on July 25th, and the celebration begins now! by Elizabeth Bell. It’s fiesta time again in La Antigua Guatemala! July 25th is our patron saint’s day—St. James—as the city was founded as Santiago de Guatemala. St. James was an apostle, the conquerors’ patron saint and is Spain’s patron saint today. […]

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Why does La Antigua celebrate St. James’ Day?

The tradition dates to 1543 when the conquistadors named the community Santiago de Guatemala (St. James of Guatemala) after the apostle who was the conquerors’ patron saint and is the patron saint of Spain today. His feast day is July 25. Celebrations in what is now La Antigua Guatemala have been exciting over the centuries, but the fiesta has come […]

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Who was St. James?

Santiago monument (photo: César Tián/Revue)

La Antigua Guatemala was founded as Santiago de Guatemala (St. James of Guatemala). Located previously at the Kaqchikel site of Iximché in 1524 and then next door to Ciudad Vieja (San Miguel Escobar) in 1527, the first city council met in this valley on March 10, 1543. Since St. James is the patron saint of Spain and was the patron […]

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