Feast of St. James the Moor Slayer
Photo of painting (Segovia, Spain) of St. James by Sacred Destinations (flickr)
Today Catholics celebrate the feast of St. James the Greater, one of the twelve apostles, while Spanish Catholics celebrate his feast day under the name of their country’s patron saint, Santiago Matamoros (Saint Iago the Moor Slayer). He was called “greater” to distinguish him from the apostle James the Less, who was likely shorter or even slenderer. After the Ascension of Jesus, according to legend, St. James traveled to Spain to spread the Gospel, and after some success in converting the people there he returned to Jerusalem where he became the first apostle martyred, beheaded by Herod Agrippa in 44 AD for violating his prohibition against preaching the new Christian faith. The apostle’s followers transported his remains to Spain, where tradition has it that they found on the Galician coast a field illuminated by a star to indicate the apostle’s predestined resting place. The great cathedral housing the statue that made the news in 2004 is the Santiago de Compostela—St. Iago from the Field of the Star.
Nobody is a true pilgrim unless he is journeying towards the “house of St. James.”—Dante
My first thought when I learned of the Muslim outrage over the statue was to wonder what Mohammedans were doing in a church in the first place, but that’s the absurd world in which we live, a world not so unlike the time when Santiago was first rediscovered by Spain in the ninth century. For now as then, rediscovering the great saint comes when he is most sorely needed, when the furious enemy is not just outside the gates but is rather in our homelands and in our sanctuaries.
Legend has it that in 844 St. James appeared in a dream to the besieged leader of the Spanish forces to promise victory over the superior Moors on the battlefield at Clavijo. The next day the saint delivered on his promise by personally appearing on a white steed and wielding an awful sword with which he savagely dispatched the enemy to lead the Spaniards in a crushing defeat of the Moors. It is this event that is commemorated in the controversial statue at Compostela, where beneath Santiago’s steed lie numerous severed heads and Moor gore galore. The celebrated statue’s stark depiction is repeated in paintings and sculptures all over Spain. A fine example is offered in today’s featured blog photo, and frankly I can understand Muslim reaction. Just imagine how outraged they’d be if only they knew that the Moor Slayer wasn’t a Spaniard at all, but instead a Middle Eastern Jew!
St. James the Moor Slayer, one of the most valiant saints and knights the world ever had … has been given by God to Spain for its patron and protection—Cervantes, Don Quixote
It is quite impossible to overstate Santiago’s importance to the Spanish Reconquista. In all, including the victory at Clavijo, over forty battles were recounted where Santiago lopped off heads for the salvation of Christian Spain, and by the eleventh century, when the Reconquista attained a decidedly religious character under Alfonso VI, Santiago served to unite Iberian Christians in their belief that Almighty God was on their side. They were inspired to win Spain for one crown and one religion only, expelling or exterminating, if necessary, all others. Thus began the determination to promote Compostela as the Christian pilgrimage par excellence, equal to or exceeding Rome and Jerusalem in importance, and soon St. James Way united much of Europe in a maze of shrine routes through Spain, France, Portugal, and England among others. In the twelfth century the number of pilgrims who traveled along the Way of St. James reached a half million a year. Santiago by then had merged in the Spanish consciousness with the epic hero El Cid, another dead man on a horse rushing into battle, who similarly convinced Spaniards of their invincibility and the divine sanction of their cause.
And if it is impossible to overstate Santiago’s importance to the Reconquista, it is likewise not possible to overstate the relevance of the entire story for us today in our own ongoing re-conquest of Christendom. Somehow I have to believe that if we are to survive, we will ourselves see the invincible Moor Slayer riding ahead of us into the great battle.
Can we in fact become one people in faith and fervor?
That is the question we must ask ourselves as we remember Santiago on this, his day of honor.
9 comments
Jacob the fisherman evolved into the archetypal hero of Western culture. From Sant’ Iago Matamoros (killer of the Moors) to Sant’ Iago Mataindios (killer of Indians) to Sant’ Iago Mataespañois (killer of Spaniards) – everyone wanted him as their hero!
In Mexico City there is a carving from the altarpiece of the Church of Santiago Tlatelolco showing him as Santiago Mataindios - the Indian-slayer.
And although Christianity and the Catholic religion were taken to the Americas by the Spaniards, when Mexico fought to obtain its independence from Spain in 1810, Sant’ Iago was exalted as Santiago Mataespañois - the slayer of Spaniards!
In Peru, during an indigenous uprising in 19th-century they adopted Santiago as its champion, using the “Matamoros” iconography of “Santiago Mataespañois” that in Peru had come to be associated with a pre-Columbian deity who drove out evil forces.
There is a mid-19thC silver statue of Santiago Mataespañois in the Museum of Pilgrimages in Santiago de Compostela…
and another one – scroll down to under Ano 1998 - (as well as pictures of items from the museum) here:
You can see the altarpiece of Santiago Mataindios here (click on the photo to enlarge it).
You can see paintings of Santiago Matamoros and Mataindios together here.
“Moor gore galore.” You think yur funny, but yur really sick in the head. What’s the difference between saints who behead people and jihadists who behead people?
Hi, Sil. Nice of you to drop by with your interesting comments. I’ve been reading a lot about Santiago and I so appreciate the links you provided. I also see from your blog that you have made a pilgrimage to Compostela, and in that I envy you. I must say I never thought I’d read an interview with the Moor Slayer himself! LOL.
Just to add to your posted comments here, it seems Santiago has been invoked regularly in modern times, whenever the Spanish have been involved in conflict. Numerous accounts from Spanish imperial activity in the New World are extant, and I was fascinated to learn that much more recently the Spanish contingent in the ongoing Iraq venture–before the Spanish government pussied out of the ill-advised conflict–wore Santiago’s cross on their uniforms! So I suppose we have to add “Sunni Slayer” and “Shia Slayer” and “Al Qaeda in Iraq Slayer” to the list.
And no, no one comes to the Father solely through devotion to Santiago, but of course that’s not what saints are for.
Best regards,
HAID
What am I going to do with you, Joe? I’ve tried to be nice, but you just want to brawl. Sorry to disappoint, but my schedule simply cannot accommodate any more nut balls or ass hats at this time. I’m all full up, so you’ll just have to work your way up in the loser bracket before you earn the opportunity to spar with the great Haid Dasalami.
Besides, if you really can’t see the difference between the Moor Slayer and a jihadi, I frankly have to doubt my ability to explain it to you, my accomplished fluency with language notwithstanding.
Take care.
You should consider getting a hobby.
Regards,
HAID
Effendi,
I forwarded this piece to a friend in the P.I. He replies: “Thank you. Greatly appreciated in a place where we celebrate Santiago de Compostela with some fervor.” They continue to have considerable trouble with the moros there.
Thanks, Darryl. I appreciate the exposure. I’m happy to see you up and around. Welcome back.
I’m also glad to learn of yet another place where Santiago is being fervently rediscovered.
And yes, they’re having trouble with the Moros all over.
Haid’s too busy - I’ll take some time.
This particular saint took the heads of enemy combatants in battle…a common practice for many centuries throughout the world. A practice which has ended for everyone except jihadis.
Speaking of jihadis, their tendency is to behead innocent civilian captives, not combatants.
Therein, my dull friend, is the difference.
~GdB
Thanks, God. (I say that a lot). You rode in here like Santiago and defended me from a ferocious attacker, for which I am indebted. I just didn’t have the energy, but it’s really not as complicated as I would have made it. Your rejoinder is short, sweet, and to the point.
But I still don’t think he’ll get it.
Regards,
HAID
In the Old Testament Deborah slew Sisera in his tent by nailing his head to the tent floor. As for Christians slaying the jihadis….YOU slay me, Haid! In a good way, of course.