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20090327-Holy-Transfiguration-Monastery-JWN0072-2, originally uploaded by neepeople.

This relic of St. James the Persian, who suffered around 400AD, is found at the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration in Ellwood City, PA. I was quite surprised when I saw it; I didn’t know there were relics of the venerable Saint circulating about.

His story is one of my favorites, not only because of his endurance, but also because of the strong influence of his wife and mother in the letter they wrote him after he apostatized. Here is an abridged version of the story, and a longer version with the aforementioned letter included.