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Saint Jude Novena

Who Is St. Jude? Apostle and Patron of Hopeless Causes

Saint Jude, often called Jude Thaddeus, was one of the twelve men Jesus chose to be His apostles. He walked with our Lord, listened to Him teach, ate at His table and saw Him risen from the dead. For almost two thousand years, people at the end of their rope have turned to him, and the Church has come to know him as the patron of hopeless causes.

Scripture tells us only a little about him. Much of his story has come down to us through the tradition of the early Church. I have tried to be careful here about which is which. Saint Jude does not need any embellishing.

Saint Jude at a glance

His name Jude Thaddeus. Scripture also calls him "Jude of James" and "Judas, not the Iscariot."
Who he was One of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ
His family By tradition, a son of Clopas and Mary of Clopas, a brother of Saint James the Less and a cousin of our Lord
In Scripture The lists of the Twelve, his question at the Last Supper (John 14:22), the upper room before Pentecost (Acts 1:13) and the Letter of Jude
His death A martyr for Christ, by tradition in Persia around the year 65
His relics Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, together with Saint Simon
Feast day October 28, shared with Saint Simon the Zealot
Patron of Hopeless causes and things almost despaired of
How to recognize him A flame above his head, an image of Christ's face on his chest, a green robe and a club or axe

What the Gospels tell us

He appears in every list of the Twelve, though not always by the same name. Saint Luke calls him "Jude of James" (Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13), while Saint Matthew and Saint Mark call him Thaddeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18).

At the Last Supper he asked Jesus a question, and our Lord's answer is one of the most tender promises in all of Scripture (John 14:22-23). You can read about it here.

After the Ascension he was in the upper room with the Blessed Mother and the other apostles, praying for the coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:13-14). Those days of prayer between the Ascension and Pentecost are the first novena, and Saint Jude was there. And the short Letter of Jude, near the end of the New Testament, has long been attributed to him.

What tradition tells us

The Church has long held that Jude was a relative of our Lord, a son of Clopas and Mary of Clopas, and so a cousin of Jesus. After Pentecost he carried the Gospel far from home, by tradition to Mesopotamia and Persia, often in the company of Saint Simon the Zealot. He gave his life for Christ as a martyr, most likely in Persia around the year 65. His relics rest today in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, together with those of Saint Simon.

Questions people ask

Is Saint Jude the same as Judas, who betrayed Jesus?

No. They were two different apostles who happened to share a common name. Judas Iscariot betrayed our Lord. Jude Thaddeus stayed faithful and died a martyr. Saint John takes care to call him "Judas, not the Iscariot" (John 14:22) so no one would mix them up.

Was Saint Jude related to Jesus?

Tradition says yes. He is counted among the "brethren" of the Lord (Mark 6:3), a word that in that time and place meant close relatives. The Church understands him to be a cousin of Jesus, the son of Mary of Clopas, who stood at the foot of the cross.

Did Saint Jude write the Letter of Jude?

The letter opens, "Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James" (Jude 1), and the Church has long attributed it to him. It is a short, fiery letter to believers under pressure, urging them to hold fast to the faith. Read about his message.

Where is Saint Jude buried?

His relics rest in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, beneath the altar of Saint Joseph in the left transept, together with the relics of Saint Simon.

Why is he the patron of hopeless causes?

For centuries people passed him over because his name sounded like the betrayer's. Tradition says that those who did turn to him, often as a last resort, found him a faithful friend. Here is the longer story.

Do I have to be Catholic to pray to Saint Jude?

No. Anyone may ask Saint Jude to pray for them, just as you might ask a friend. All are welcome here. Why we ask the saints to pray for us.

Learn more about him

The best way to know a saint is to pray with him. Begin the novena.

Sources

Keep learning

The ApostlePatron of the hopeless