On the feast day of St. James the Apostle on July 25, Bishop Robert Barron, bishop-elect of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, sent a tweet asking for his intercession.

“St. James, pray for us!” Barron tweeted. 

St. James — also called James the Greater or James, son of Zebedee — was one of Jesus' 12 apostles. Britannica says James and his brother John were among the first four apostles whom Jesus called to follow him, along with Peter and Andrew. James was a witness to some of the key events in Jesus' life, including the Transfiguration and the Agony in the Garden, Britannica says. 

James was fishing with his brother John in the Sea of Galilee when Jesus approached them, according to Catholic.org. The brothers had been unable to catch any fish, but Jesus told them to put their nets in the water once more, and when they did, the nets filled with fish. After Jesus' Ascension into Heaven, James traveled across the Roman kingdom and Israel, spreading the Gospel. When he returned to Jerusalem, King Herod beheaded him, making James the first apostle to be martyred for his faith. 

Catholics celebrate the feast of St. James each year on July 25, according to Franciscan Media. James is the patron saint of Chile, laborers, Nicaragua, people who suffer from rheumatism, and Spain.