7 lesser-known apostles and where Catholics can encounter them today
The article lists seven lesser‑known apostles—James the Greater, James the Lesser, Philip, etc.—and explains why they are often overlooked in Scripture. It describes the major pilgrimage sites associated with each apostle, such as the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela for St. James the Greater and the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome for St. James the Lesser. Pope Benedict XVI’s 2006 catechesis on the lesser apostles is cited to clarify the meaning of “the Lesser” and to discuss possible identifications of James the son of Alphaeus. The piece invites Catholics worldwide to visit the relics, shrines, and churches dedicated to these apostles, underscoring the enduring tradition of honoring them across continents.
17 days ago
The article profiles seven apostles who receive less attention in Scripture and identifies churches, basilicas, abbeys, and pilgrimage sites associated with their relics or tombs. It also distinguishes biblical information from later Catholic tradition, especially where identities, missionary journeys, martyrdoms, or relic locations remain uncertain. 1 2
James the Greater was the son of Zebedee, brother of John, and a fisherman from the Sea of Galilee. Jesus called the two brothers while they were repairing their nets, and he later gave them the name “Boanerges,” meaning “sons of thunder.” 1 2
James belonged to the group of three apostles who witnessed the raising of Jairus’ daughter, the Transfiguration, and Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Acts identifies him as the first of the Twelve to be martyred, stating that King Herod Agrippa I put him to death “with the sword.” 1 2
Catholics encounter his legacy most prominently at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, traditionally regarded as the home of his relics. The cathedral is the destination of the Camino de Santiago, a network of pilgrimage routes crossing several European countries. 1 2
James the Lesser, the son of Alphaeus, is named in the lists of the Twelve Apostles, but Scripture gives almost no information about his life or ministry. His title distinguished him from James the son of Zebedee and did not imply that he was less important. 1 2
The identification of James the Lesser with another prominent James in the early Church has been proposed in Christian tradition but remains disputed. His remains are traditionally venerated with those of the apostle Philip in Rome’s Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles. 1 2
Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town associated with Peter and Andrew, and appears frequently in the Gospel of John. He introduced Nathanael to Jesus with the invitation, “Come and see,” appears in the account of the multiplication of the loaves, and asks Jesus at the Last Supper to show the disciples the Father. 1 2
Later accounts say that Philip evangelized in Greece and Frisia and died at Hierapolis, though accounts differ over whether he was crucified or stoned. His remains are traditionally housed with those of James the Lesser in the Basilica of the Twelve Holy Apostles in Rome. 1 2
Bartholomew appears in the New Testament lists of the Twelve, but no Gospel narrative describes a figure by that name. Catholic tradition identifies him with Nathanael, whom Philip brings to Jesus in John’s Gospel, although the New Testament does not explicitly make that connection. 1 2
Nathanael initially questions whether anything good can come from Nazareth but later recognizes Jesus as “the Son of God” and “the King of Israel.” The article notes that Jesus’ reference to seeing Nathanael under the fig tree is understood as a decisive moment in his life. 1 2
His relics are associated with the Basilica of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in Benevento, Italy. Rome’s Basilica of St. Bartholomew on Tiber Island is also dedicated to him. 1 2
Jude appears under several names in the New Testament: Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus, while Luke refers to him as Judas, son of James. Catholic tradition identifies these names with the same apostle and uses “Jude” or “Jude Thaddeus” to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. 1 2
At the Last Supper, Jude asks why Jesus will reveal himself to the disciples rather than to the world. The New Testament Letter of Jude traditionally bears his name, although questions about its authorship have been discussed by scholars. 1 2
Jude is traditionally believed to have been martyred in Beirut around A.D. 65 and is widely honored as the patron saint of impossible causes. A tradition recorded by Eusebius says that Jude later healed Abgar V, ruler of Edessa, after Jesus had promised to send one of his disciples. 1 2
A major relic, a piece of Jude’s forearm bone, was kept at the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro in Rome. In 2023, it made a nine-month tour of the United States, visiting churches, schools, and other locations for public veneration. 1 2
Simon is one of the least-documented members of the Twelve. Matthew and Mark call him “the Cananaean,” while Luke calls him “the Zealot,” terms that can convey zeal or ardor. 1 2
Although he is sometimes associated with the political Zealot movement, Scripture does not establish that he belonged to it. The title may instead have referred to his religious devotion. 1 2
Christian tradition holds that Simon preached with Jude in Persia or Syria and was martyred. His relics are traditionally located in St. Peter’s Basilica beneath the Altar of St. Joseph, alongside those of Jude Thaddeus. 1 2
Matthias was selected after Judas Iscariot’s death rather than being chosen among the original Twelve during Jesus’ public ministry. Acts says that he had accompanied Jesus and the apostles from the beginning and was therefore qualified to witness to the Resurrection. 1 2
After the Christian community prayed, it cast lots between Matthias and Joseph Barsabbas, also called Justus. Matthias was chosen, but Scripture provides little further information about him. 1 2
Catholics can visit his tomb at St. Matthias’ Abbey in Trier, Germany. The abbey is described as the only burial place of an apostle in Germany and north of the Alps. 1 2
The accounts show that the apostles’ historical profiles vary considerably. Scripture provides substantial details about James the Greater and Philip, while information about James the Lesser, Simon, and Matthias is limited; traditions about Bartholomew’s identity and several apostles’ missions or deaths supplement, but do not replace, the biblical accounts. 1 2
Their continuing remembrance is expressed through major pilgrimage destinations and churches in Spain, Italy, and Germany, as well as through the public veneration of relics. These sites connect biblical figures and early Christian traditions with places Catholics can visit today. 1 2
Investigate how the Catholic Church venerates lesser‑known apostles through pilgrimage sites
The Catholic Church venerates lesser-known apostles chiefly by preserving their tombs or relics, celebrating their liturgical feasts, and encouraging prayerful pilgrimage to places associated with their preaching and martyrdom. These devotions are not worship of the apostles: pilgrimage honors God’s grace manifested in His witnesses and seeks to imitate their faith.
St Philip is one of the clearest examples of an apostle whose pilgrimage tradition is important but historically complex. Early testimony associates his burial with Hierapolis in Phrygia, modern Pamukkale in Turkey. Bishop Polycrates of Ephesus, writing near the end of the second century, said that Philip was buried there with two of his daughters. Later tradition connected Philip’s death with martyrdom at Hierapolis.
The site’s difficulty is that Philip the Apostle was sometimes confused with Philip the Deacon and Evangelist mentioned in Acts. Because both traditions involve daughters who were prophetesses, historians cannot determine with certainty whose tomb was at Hierapolis. The Catholic Encyclopedia therefore presents the identification as possible but disputed rather than conclusive.
According to the later Roman tradition, Philip’s relics were transferred from Hierapolis to Constantinople and eventually to the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles in Rome. This gave Rome a concrete pilgrimage destination for Christians wishing to venerate him, even though the earlier history of the relics remains uncertain.
Philip’s pilgrimage significance also rests on his biblical role. In John’s Gospel, he brings others to Jesus and asks Christ to reveal the Father. Butler’s account emphasizes that these brief Gospel scenes are among the few facts known with confidence about Philip, making the shrine’s spiritual focus less an elaborate biography than the apostle’s direct witness to Christ.
James the Less, traditionally identified with James son of Alphaeus, is less prominent in popular devotion than James the Greater. Catholic tradition also associates him with James, the leader of the Church of Jerusalem, though the precise identifications are historically difficult.
His principal Roman association is the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles, traditionally linked with the relics of both Philip and James. The site allows pilgrims to venerate an apostle whose New Testament profile is brief but whose importance lies in belonging to the Twelve and, according to tradition, in serving the first Christian community in Jerusalem. The evidence supplied here does not establish the present condition or definitive authenticity of James’s relics, so that question remains unresolved.
This illustrates an important Catholic distinction: the Church can preserve a longstanding cultus—public ecclesial veneration—without claiming that every historical detail surrounding a relic has been demonstrated with modern certainty.
St Andrew’s principal pilgrimage center was St Andrews in Fife, Scotland. The city’s earlier fame came from pilgrimage, and the tradition was sufficiently strong that medieval Scotland identified the site with the apostle’s patronage. The record supplied here mentions pilgrims reaching St Andrews as early as the sixth century, including the Welsh bishop Cadoc.
St Andrews demonstrates how an apostolic shrine could shape an entire Christian culture. The shrine was not merely a place for private devotion; it helped establish the city as a religious center and connected Scotland to the wider pilgrimage network of medieval Europe. The evidence does not, however, provide enough information to determine precisely which relics were present or how their authenticity was assessed.
Andrew’s veneration also reflects the Church’s practice of honoring apostles through their feasts. The historical record indicates that the apostolic commemorations developed gradually: feasts of the apostles became clearly established from the fourth century onward, while the feast of Andrew was celebrated in the Western Church by the sixth century.
Pilgrimage to an apostolic shrine is connected with the ancient Christian conviction that the Church remembers its founders not only through texts but also through places. Early Christian writers spoke of apostolic tombs and seats, including those associated with Peter, Paul, John, and James. Yet even ancient testimonies were not automatically accepted as certain; some claims were already regarded as historically debatable.
Theologically, the tomb is significant because the apostle proclaimed the Gospel in a concrete place and bore witness through his life, suffering, and death. The pilgrim therefore encounters Christianity as embodied history: Scripture, martyrdom, relics, liturgy, and the continuity of the Church.
The International Theological Commission cautions against separating isolated New Testament statements from the living Tradition in which Scripture was received. At the same time, it insists that historical judgments remain genuine historical judgments. This provides a sound Catholic method for evaluating apostolic shrines: faith receives the Church’s tradition, while scholarship investigates the evidence honestly.
The Church’s practice generally has four dimensions:
The Church’s official approach is not to treat pilgrimage as tourism or relic-collecting. Pilgrimage has religious, social, and charitable dimensions, and historically it helped unite Christians across regions and cultures.
The shrines of Philip, James the Less, and Andrew show how Catholic devotion keeps lesser-known apostles present in the life of the Church. Their pilgrimage sites preserve memory, invite prayer, and connect the faithful with apostolic preaching. At the same time, Catholic tradition does not require uncritical certainty: the identity of some remains and the historical development of some shrines are disputed. Authentic veneration therefore combines reverence for tradition, honesty about historical limits, participation in liturgy, and a renewed commitment to follow the apostles to Christ.