Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary 

the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have 

commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.'   (Mt  28:16 20). 

    This appearance could not have occurred at the time of Jesus' Ascension to Heaven. Jesus met with His 

disciples in Galilee after the Resurrection (Mt 28:7; Mk 16:7; Jn 21:1). But He ascended to Heaven from  the 

mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem  (Acts 1:12). 

    This appearance in Galilee likely occurred during the earlier part of the 40 days between the Resurrection 

and the Ascension, for some of the Eleven Apostles still have their doubts (Mt 28:17). Also, the first verse of 

this passage (Mt 28:16) indicates that the Eleven were not yet in Galilee; they had to go there to arrive at the 

mountain where they then saw Jesus. 

    Blessed Anne Catherine tells us that the appearance to the more than 500 occurred on a hill, which was 

located on a plateau or elevated region. She also uses the word  mountains  to describe that region. This 

region overlooked the Sea of Galilee (also called the Sea of Tiberius).

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 The descriptions of the location in the 

Gospel of Matthew and in the visions of Blessed Anne Catherine are in agreement. Thus, the appearance of 

Jesus on the mountain in Galilee (Mt 28:16 20) could well have been the same as His appearance to the more 

than 500 brethren (1 Cor 15:6). 

James and All the Apostles 

     Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also 

to me. For I am the least of the apostles .  (1 Cor 15:7 9). 

    After mentioning the appearance of Jesus to the more than five hundred brethren, Saint Paul tells us that 

Jesus continued to appear to the Apostles. Jesus appeared to James, then to  all the apostles.  The name 

 James  could refer to one of the Twelve Apostles, either  James the son of Zebedee,  called James the 

Greater, or  James the son of Alphaeus,  called James the Less (Mt 10:2 3). Or, perhaps  James  refers to 

another disciple of Christ. 

    According to Blessed Anne Catherine, Jesus appeared to James the Less  alone on the mountain in 

Galilee . 

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 The  first appearances of Jesus to the apostles and disciples were in Jerusalem and the 

surrounding area. Then the disciples went to Galilee, where a few of them saw Jesus at the sea of Tiberius, and 

more than 500 saw Him on the mountain overlooking the sea of Tiberius. Paul places the appearance to James 

after the appearance to the more than 500, so this appearance to James likely occurred in Galilee also. Thus 

the appearance of Jesus to James the Less alone on the mountain in Galilee is most likely the same appearance 

to James mentioned by Saint Paul. 

    When Paul uses the word  apostles  in this passage, he is not referring solely to the Twelve Apostles. 

Earlier in this passage, Paul refers to the Twelve Apostles as  the twelve  (1 Cor 15:5). But in the verses that 

follow, he includes himself as one of the apostles. Therefore, when Sacred Scripture tells us that Jesus 

appeared to James, then to  all the apostles,  this was not an appearance only to the Twelve Apostles, but to a 

larger group of preachers of the Word of God, whom Paul refers to as apostles. However, since Paul states that 

this group included  all the apostles,  the Twelve must also have been present. 

Further Appearances of the Risen Christ 

     To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, 

and speaking of the kingdom of God.  (Acts 1:3). 

    During the 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension, Jesus appeared to His disciples and to 

those who were not yet disciples. Most of these appearances are not specifically mentioned in Sacred 

Scripture. Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich spoke of some of those additional appearances. 

     Jesus communicated with the Apostles quite naturally in those last days. He ate and prayed with them, 

walked with them in many directions, and repeated all that He had before told them. He appeared also to 

Simon of Cyrene as he was working in a garden . Jesus appeared also in other places, Bethlehem and 

Nazareth for instance . He scattered blessings everywhere, and they that saw Him believed and joined the 

Apostles and disciples. 

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