Also known as James Gangale, James della Marca, or Giacomo della Marca, this future Franciscan was just an ordinary little boy.  He was born in 1393 of a poor family living in Monteprandone, in region Marches, Italy.  His parents were Antonio Gangale and Antonia Rossi, he was baptized with the name of Dominic (Domenico), which comes from "Dominus" and means "he who belongs to the Lord". 

His father died before his time and Dominic began his studies at Offida under the guidance of his uncle, a priest, who soon afterwards put him to school at Ascoli Piceno.  At the University of Perugia he took the degree of Doctor in Civil Law.  He stayed at Florence as a notary and in Bibbiena as a judge of sorcerers.

On 26th July, 1416, Dominic entered the Order of the Friars Minor in the chapel of the Porziuncola,  convent of St.Mary of the Angels, Assisi.  He took a new name, James,  as well as a new habit, which was tailored for him by St.Bernardino of Siena.   In accordance with Franciscan custom, he also took the name of the province from which he came: James of the Marches.

After his novitiate at the Eremo delle Carceri, near Assisi, James studied for the priesthood under St.Bernardino of Siena at Fiesole, near Florence.  He was ordained at age 29  and became a zealous and well-attended preacher.   

It is difficult to reconstruct all his missionary journeys, including those undertaken with St.John Capistran, great jurist and governor of Perugia, who had joined the Franciscan Order when he was thirty years old.  He is the Patron Saint of the military chaplains and his feast-day is on 23rd October. 

James of the Marches preached in many towns of Tuscany, Marches, Umbria, and travelled throughout Central and Northern Europe: Germany, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Bosnia.  In 1426, with Saint John Capistran, he was named inquisitor against the heretic group "Fraticelli", by Pope Saint Martin V.

For half a century James carried on his spiritual labours, remarkable for the miracles he performed and the numerous conversions he wrought.

He imposed on himself severe penances, allowing himself only three hours of sleep nightly, wearing a threadbare habit and fasting every day.

Towards the end of James' life, Pope Sixtus IV forbade him to fast, for his health was "in the public interest ".

PHe preached faith and penance, preached against usury, attracted huge crowds, converted heretics and founded a lot of monasteries.  It was the Holy Spirit that inspired him to speak with such power and amazing success.  During the turbulent 15th century peace had disappeared nearly everywhere, but James worked tirelessly as a peacemaker. He belonged to the Observant branch of the Friars Minor, but he reconciled the two opposed Franciscan branches, the conventuals and the observants,

PHe brought peace between Catholics and heretics of every kind.  He reconciled warring countries, rival towns, Guelphs and Ghibellines, and, above all, he reconciled men with God.   Besides preaching against usury,  James always tried to help the needy, asking alms and establishing charitable pawnshops, known as Monti di Pietà (Montes Pietatis).

In 1431, he promoted the union of the Hussites with the Church. In 1432, the General Minister of the Franciscan Order sent him to Bosnia as "visitor commissioner".

In 1433, he took part in the general chapter of Franciscan Order at Bologna, where he was named "official preacher" by Pope Eugene IV.  In 1436, he was in Bohemia, Hungary and Austria, founding a lot of monasteries.

n 1437, he preached to promote Emperor Sigismond's crusade against the Turks.  In 1438, at the Council of Ferrara-Florence, James participated in the reunion of the Eastern and Western Churches, and then he went back to Hungary.   Later, he brought peace between the last mentioned country and Bohemia: thus, Emperor Sigismond entered Prague as Emperor of Bohemia.

In 1440, James preached in several towns of Central and Northern Italy,  including Osimo and  Loreto in Region Marches:  according to a religious tradition, never confirmed by history, Christ's native home was transported to Loreto by some angels.  During the Lent of the same year,  James preached in Padua.

In 1444,  a rare event happened: he spent three days resting...   He stayed in a little monastery on the shores of Lake Trasimene, where he was joined by St.John Capistran and St.Bernardino of Siena, who died a month later.  

On 22nd August 1449, Pope Nicoḷ V gave his permission to build a Franciscan convent in James's native town Monteprandone, dedicated to the  blessed Virgin Mary of Grace.

At the death of St. John Capistran, in 1456, James was sent to Austria and Hungary as his successor.   He was offered bishopric in Milan in 1460,  but he refused, because he preferred to continue preaching.

In 1462, as a result of a sermon he preached in Brescia, he himself became the subject of a local inquisition.  He gave a theological opinion on the Precious Blood of Christ.

He asserted that the Precious Blood shed during the Passion was not united with the Divinity of Christ during the three days of His burial.  The case was controversial,  James refused to appear before the Inquisition and, after some troubles,  appealed to the Holy See.  A silence was imposed upon both the Dominican inquisitors and the Franciscans, and no decision was ever reached.

James died at 7:00 a.m. on 28th November 1476 in Naples and was buried in the church of the ancient Franciscan convent Santa Maria La Nova.
He was beatified in 1624 by Pope Urban VIII, canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII, and his feast-day is on 28th November.

He is generally represented as a Franciscan holding a chalice and a veil.  His emblem is a chalice from which a snake is escaping: an allusion to some endeavours of heretics to poison him or, less likely, to the controversy about the Precious Blood.