Three Little Known Facts about Saint Jude

When a situation seems beyond repair, many Catholics turn to Saint Jude. Known as the patron saint of desperate causes, he has given generations of the faithful a way to bring their most difficult intentions to God in prayer. But Saint Jude is more than a saint to call upon in a crisis. He was one of the Twelve Apostles, chosen to follow Jesus and bear witness to Him.

There is much we can learn from taking a closer look at his life. Why is he sometimes called Thaddeus? What do the Gospels tell us about him? And how can his example help us persevere when answers to prayer seem far away?

In this article, we’ll explore three lesser-known facts about Saint Jude. As we do, we can ask for his intercession not only for the help we urgently need, but also for a deeper trust in Christ. With Mary, our Mother, may we keep returning to her Son—especially in the Holy Eucharist, where He remains truly present with His Church.

Who Was Saint Jude Thaddeus?

Saint Jude Thaddeus was one of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus. He is also called Judas—not Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Our Lord. The name Thaddeus helps distinguish the two, but it is his faithfulness to Christ that the Church remembers.

Jude appears briefly in the Gospel of John. At the Last Supper, he asks Jesus why He will reveal Himself to the disciples and not to the world (John 14:22). Jesus answers by speaking of love and obedience: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23). It is a fitting exchange for an apostle who would go on to share that word with others.

According to ancient Christian tradition, Jude preached the Gospel after Pentecost and suffered martyrdom. The Church celebrates his feast with Saint Simon on October 28. Many Catholics also turn to him as the patron saint of difficult and seemingly hopeless causes—not because any need is beyond God’s care, but because his intercession encourages us to keep praying when hope feels far away.

Like every saint, Jude leads us back to Jesus. His example invites us to remain close to Our Lord in the Eucharist and, with the Blessed Virgin Mary, to trust Him even when we cannot yet see the way forward.

Three Little-Known Facts About Saint Jude

Saint Jude is often called upon when a situation seems hopeless. But the Gospels and the life of the early Church show us more than a patron to ask for help: they show us an Apostle who stayed close to Jesus.

1. He asked Jesus a question at the Last Supper

Saint Jude has just one recorded question in the Gospels. At the Last Supper, he asks Jesus why He will reveal Himself to the Apostles and not to the world (John 14:22). Saint John takes care to identify the speaker as “Judas (not Iscariot)”—the Apostle we know as Saint Jude.

Jesus answers by speaking of love and obedience: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word” (John 14:23). Jude’s question draws out a promise worth carrying to prayer: the Lord desires to dwell with those who love Him.

2. He prayed alongside the Blessed Virgin Mary

After the Ascension, the Apostles gathered in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus (Acts 1:13–14). Jude is included among those named. Before they went out to preach, they waited together for the Holy Spirit.

It is a beautiful image for anyone seeking Saint Jude’s intercession today. When we do not know what comes next, we can remain faithful in prayer, close to Our Lady, and open to the grace her Son will give.

3. The letter bearing his name calls believers to mercy

The New Testament’s brief Letter of Jude has traditionally been associated with Saint Jude the Apostle, though its authorship is not certain. In just one chapter, it urges Christians to “build yourselves up on your most holy faith” and “pray in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 1:20).

That counsel is especially fitting when we feel overwhelmed. Jude’s letter does not tell us to give up on troubled souls; it calls us to persevere in faith and show mercy (Jude 1:22).

Saint Jude Was a Relative of Jesus

When we hear that Saint Jude was related to Jesus, it is natural to wonder: does that mean Our Lord had brothers and sisters? The Gospels name a “Judas” among Jesus’ “brothers” (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). In Catholic understanding, this language refers to His relatives or close kin—not children of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Church has always cherished Mary’s perpetual virginity.

Christian tradition has long associated this Judas with Saint Jude the Apostle, though Scripture does not spell out every detail of their family relationship. The connection helps us see Saint Jude as more than a distant figure in a stained-glass window. He belonged to the world of Nazareth, where the Son of God lived an ordinary human life among family and neighbors.

Yet Saint Jude’s closeness to Jesus became more than a family tie. He followed Him as an apostle and proclaimed Him as Lord. That is a gentle encouragement for us: whatever our place in life, we are invited into a deeper kinship with Christ through faith, prayer, and the sacramental life. When we ask Saint Jude to intercede for us, we ask a faithful friend of Jesus to help lead us closer to Him—above all in the Holy Eucharist.

Why Saint Jude Is Also Called Thaddeus

If you look for Saint Jude in the lists of the Twelve Apostles, you may find a different name. Matthew and Mark call him Thaddeus, while Luke names Judas, the son of James. In Catholic tradition, these names refer to the same apostle: the saint we commonly call Jude Thaddeus.

The name Jude also helps distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. Saint John makes the distinction explicit when he records a question from “Judas, not Iscariot” at the Last Supper (John 14:22). It is a brief moment, but a precious one: we hear Saint Jude speak directly to Jesus.

When we turn to Saint Jude in prayer, we ask the intercession of an apostle who knew the Lord and remained faithful to Him. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, Jude points us beyond himself to Christ—the same Lord who gives Himself to us in the Holy Eucharist.

Saint Jude’s Question at the Last Supper

At the Last Supper, as Jesus prepared His apostles for His departure, one of them asked a question that still speaks to every disciple: “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” (John 14:22). St. John identifies the speaker as “Judas (not Iscariot),” traditionally understood to be Saint Jude Thaddeus.

Jude wanted to know how Jesus would make Himself known when the world could no longer see Him. Our Lord’s answer turned the apostles’ attention from outward appearances to a life of love and fidelity: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23).

That promise invites us to examine how we welcome Christ today. We encounter Him in prayer and in His word, and we adore His Real Presence in the Eucharist. Like the Blessed Virgin Mary, who received and kept God’s word with a faithful heart, we can ask Saint Jude to help us love Jesus not only in moments of consolation, but also when faith asks us to trust what we cannot see.

Where Do Saint Jude’s Relics Rest?

Many know Saint Jude as the patron saint of difficult and seemingly hopeless causes. Fewer know that his relics are traditionally venerated in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, beneath the altar of St. Joseph, alongside those of Saint Simon the Apostle. The two saints share a feast day on October 28, reflecting the ancient tradition that they preached the Gospel together.

Catholics honor relics not because the remains of a saint have power apart from God, but because God’s grace was at work in that person’s life. Saint Jude’s relics remind us that he followed Jesus not only in word, but with his whole life. Even after centuries, they offer a tangible invitation to ask for his prayers and to imitate his fidelity.

If you bring a difficult intention to Saint Jude, you need not travel to Rome to seek his intercession. You can ask him to pray for you wherever you are—especially as you entrust your need to Jesus at Mass. With Our Lady, who always leads us to her Son, Saint Jude points us toward the One in whom no hope is ever wasted.

Take the Next Step with Saint Jude

 

Learning about Saint Jude is more than discovering a few surprising details about an apostle. His life points us toward the One he followed: Jesus Christ. If you are carrying a difficult intention, Saint Jude’s example is an invitation to keep praying—and to place your hope in the Lord, even when the way forward is unclear.

At Journeys of Faith Catholic Store, we want to help you turn that encouragement into a lasting habit of faith:

• Begin a novena to Saint Jude. Bring a particular need before God, asking for Saint Jude’s intercession and trusting that the Lord hears you.
• Keep prayer close at hand. A prayer card or devotional image can remind you to pause, pray, and persevere throughout the day.
• Share his story. Pass a book or other Catholic resource to someone who needs encouragement, especially a friend facing a seemingly hopeless situation.
• Stay close to Jesus. Ask Our Lady to lead you to her Son, and draw strength from His presence in the Eucharist.

Explore the books, prayer cards, and devotional resources at Journeys of Faith Catholic Store. Whether you are praying for yourself or someone you love, let Saint Jude’s witness encourage you to take one faithful step today.

 

 

 

FAQs About Saint Jude

Who was Saint Jude?

Saint Jude, also called Jude Thaddeus, was one of Jesus’ twelve Apostles. He is not Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Our Lord. In the Letter of Jude, traditionally attributed to him, Christians are urged to remain steadfast in the faith and to pray in the Holy Spirit.

Like Our Lady and all the saints, Saint Jude points us toward Jesus. His witness reminds us to stay close to Christ in prayer, in the life of the Church, and especially in the Eucharist.

Why is Saint Jude called the Patron Saint of Hopeless Causes?

Catholics have long turned to Saint Jude’s intercession when a situation seems impossible. One traditional explanation is that, because his name resembled Judas Iscariot’s, people were once hesitant to ask for his prayers. Over time, devotion to him became especially associated with urgent and desperate needs.

Calling on Saint Jude does not mean giving up hope. It means bringing even our hardest struggles to Jesus, trusting that no prayer is beyond His hearing.