About St. Jude
St. Jude Thaddeus, known as the patron saint of hopeless causes, was one of Jesus Christ’s twelve apostles and is often confused with Judas Iscariot. According to tradition, he was a brother of St. James the Less and a relative of Jesus, preaching the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Libya after Christ’s death and resurrection. He is believed to have written the Epistle of Jude in the New Testament, a short but powerful letter warning against false teachers. His patronage of impossible causes stems from a reported vision of Christ telling him to assist those in most desperate need, and from the theory that because his name was so similar to Judas Iscariot, people only prayed to him as a last resort. According to tradition, he was martyred in Persia with St. Simon the Zealot, being clubbed to death and then beheaded. He is typically depicted in religious art holding an image of Christ (referring to the legend of King Abgar) and often with a club or axe, symbolizing his martyrdom. Today, he is one of the most popular saints, particularly invoked in times of crisis or when all hope seems lost.
Get the scoop — “St. Jude: The Underdog of Lost Causes”
Prayers & Devotions
