New Testament apostle, originally a Galilean fisherman. He was the son of Zebedee and brother of the apostle John. He was put to death by Herod Agrippa. James is the patron saint of Spain. His feast day is 25 July.
The flag may have been based on that of Schwyz, one of the original cantons of the Confederation. While the national flag is square, a rectangular flag is used on Swiss lakes and rivers. Effective date: 12 December 1889.