SS. Philip and James the Less COLLECTION (RLS 15)

Except for their Apostleship, there is little in the Gospels to link St. Philip and St. James the Less. The reason these Apostles celebrate a joint feast is circumstantial: Their earthly remains—or at least portions of them--are kept together in a church in Rome, Italy, dedicated to them on 1 May ?560. + Both the church and the feast have overgone considerable changes since then, however. Today the church, a minor basilica, is dedicated to *all* of the Apostles and is known as the Church of the Twelve Holy Apostles (Basilica Santi Apostoli in Italian). And, under the current General Roman Calendar the feast is held on May 3, the date having been shifted in 1955 when Pope Pius XII instituted the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, an Optional Memorial which coincides with May Day (International Workers' Day). + For capsule biographies and patronage lists of the featured Apostles, see: catholicsaints.info/saint-philip-the-apostle/ and catholicsaints.info/saint-james-the-lesser/