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Saint Jude Thaddaeus
Saint Jude Thaddaeus

Saint Jude Thaddaeus

Feast Day
Oct 28, 2012
Patronage
Lost Causes, Desperate Situations
<p>St. Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus.&nbsp; He is generally identified as St. Jude Thaddeus.&nbsp; He is clearly distinguished from Judas Iscariot, another disciple, the betrayer of Jesus.&nbsp; St. Jude was a brother of St. James, and a relative of Jesus.&nbsp; We know this by, &ldquo;Jude, brother of James&rdquo;, Luke 6:16.&nbsp; He is mentioned twice in the New Testament, in the lists of Apostles in Luke 6:16, and Acts 1:13.&nbsp; The Gospel of John also once mentions a disciple called &ldquo;Judas not Iscariot&rdquo; John 14:22.&nbsp;</p> <p>Writes of old teach that St. Jude preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Lybia.&nbsp; He returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, to help with the election of his brother St. Simeon, to become Bishop of Jerusalem.&nbsp; He is the author of an Epistle to the Churches of the East, particularly to the Jewish converts.&nbsp; It is widely believed that St. Jude suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was under the control of persia.&nbsp; Armenia did not completely convert to Christianity until the third Century.&nbsp; St. Jude was the Apostle that asked Jesus at the Last Supper, why he would not manifest Himself to the whole world after his ressurection.&nbsp; Other than this, little is known about his life.&nbsp; Legend teaches he visited Beirut and Edessa as he traveled to preach and convert. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>St. Jude is the Patron Saint of &ldquo;lost causes&rdquo; and &ldquo;desperate situations&rdquo; because the New Testament stresses&nbsp; that the faithful should persevere in harsh and difficult circumstances, just as their forefathers had done before them.&nbsp; That is the reason he is patron saint of desperate cases and his Feast Day is October 28<sup>th</sup>. &nbsp;</p> <p><span style="font-size: medium;"><strong>Practical Take Away</strong></span></p> <p>St. Jude Thaddaeus was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.&nbsp; He lived in the 1<sup>st</sup> Century, and witnessed first hand, our Lord&rsquo;s ministry.&nbsp; He was present at the Last Supper according to Scriptures.&nbsp; He traveled preaching the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumaea, Syria, Mesopotamia, Lybia, Beirut and Edessa.&nbsp; We know that he was the brother of the Apostle James.&nbsp; It is believed that he was martyred in Armenia, while under the control of Persia.&nbsp; He is the patron saint of &ldquo;Lost Causes&rdquo; because in the New Testament he stresses that the faithful should persevere in harsh and difficult circumstances, just as our forefathers had done before us. &nbsp;</p>