James Andrade- July 15 (Everyday Saints Series)

Last updated on: July 15, 2020 at 8:34 am by Theresa Zoe Williams

James Andrade- July 15 (Everyday Saints Series) 2020-07-15T08:34:09-07:00 Theresa Zoe Williams

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Canary Islands, near where James Andrade died

James Andrade was a native of Coimbra, Portugal. He entered the Jesuits as a young man and, in 1570, set sail for the West Indies with a band of Jesuit priests led by Blessed Ignatius de Azevedo. The captain of the ship was a Huguenot Protestant who wasn’t fond of Catholics. While on board, the captain put all of the men to death by throwing them off the boat in the middle of the sea near the Canary Islands.

Not much is known about Blessed James Andrade other than this but he’s worthy of knowing. James followed his call even unto death and that’s an admirable thing. Isn’t that what we must all do? Follow our call unto death? Our call may change throughout the course of our lives, and that, too, is good. As we are varied, God is even more varied, and calls us according to our variety.

Since not much else is known about him and his companions, I’ve tried imagining what James Andrade’s final moments were like (since I’ve deigned to write about him for you). To be tossed into the sea– I wonder if he knew how to swim. I wonder if they tried to swim to shore. I’ve been present at the final moments of people before, so I imagine what James’s were like.

I don’t know if any death can really be peaceful, per se; it is a violent ripping away of one part of yourself from the other. But of all the ways to be violently torn apart, I imagine drowning to be as peaceful as it can get. Maybe only second to dying in your sleep. So often, death is portrayed as a dark agent but I think he looks more like an old friend taking our hands and comforting us, giving us safe passage. I suppose in this way, all death is peaceful.

I wonder what James Andrade’s life was like. He must have been a good and faithful person or else he wouldn’t have been beatified! But I wonder about the small and unknown parts of his life that weren’t worth recording at all. Only God knows. Most of us live these small, hidden lives that aren’t worthy of recording. But God knows.

Image courtesy of https://www.wallpaperflare.com/lanzarote-canary-islands-sea-water-sky-cloud-sky-horizon-wallpaper-wazgl

Previous Post

July 14, 2020

Kateri Tekakwitha- July 14 (Everyday Saints Series)

Next Post

July 16, 2020 Mary Magdalen Postel- July 16 (Everyday Saints Series)

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Daily Saints Fairytales Uncategorized

Select a Month August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 December 2019 July 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

In Revelation, how many lampstands does John see?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Four lampstands Twelve lampstands Ten lampstands Seven golden lampstands

Support this
Column