Santiago Matemoros at San Cristóbal de las Casas, Mexico

myminifactory

Saint James the Moor-slayer is a legendary Spanish figure who helped Christians defeat Muslims in battle. According to myth, this Matamoros was Saint James, son of Zebedee, an apostle of Jesus Christ. Spanish legends tell of his heroic appearance at the Battle of Clavijo on May 23, 844, where Christians defeated the Moors to launch the Reconquista, or Reconquest. Historians agree that this battle never happened and he never appeared; the legends were invented centuries after the supposed event. In the 1600s, followers of his cult proposed Saint James as patron of Spain, in contrast to those who favored Saint Teresa of Avila. The Santiaguistas won this debate, naming him Patron Saint of Spain until November 1760, when Pope Clement XIII rescinded this honor and declared the Immaculate Conception as patroness of Spain, installing Saint James the Greater as patron of Spanish people. This object is part of "Scan The World", a non-profit initiative by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully printable sculptures, artworks, and landmarks from around the world for public access. Scan The World is an open-source community effort; if you have interesting items nearby and want to contribute, email stw@myminifactory.com to learn how to help.