The blessed martyr Iakovos (James) was born in the village of Voevonades, which is not far from Kastoria and was baptized Ioannis. His parents, Martinos and Paraskevi, were poor but devout. Apart from Ioannis, they had another son and the parents divided what they had between them. Ioannis became involved with stock-breeding and did well for himself, though this caused his brother to envy him. He left him his sheep and went to Constantinople, where he engaged in sheep and meat trading, becoming a supplier to the Ottoman court. This trade made him rich. One day he heard from a leading Muslim that Patriarch Nifon has healed his wife of demonic possession. This brought Ioannis to the Patriarch, by whom ...
