Your Faith Journey with EWTN
As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
First century
St. Simon: Patron Saint of tanners, curriers, sawyers, and woodworkers
St. Jude: Patron Saint of desperate or difficult causes and hospitals
Sts. Simon and Jude were two of the Twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ to accompany Him, learn from Him, and eventually help advance His mission by proclaiming the Gospel to the world.
Simon is called “the Zealot” in the Gospels, distinguishing him from Simon Peter. The title may indicate that he belonged to a Jewish movement particularly devoted to Israel’s religious and political independence or that he had a fervent passion for serving God. While little is known about him, Simon became one of Christ’s Apostles and a witness to His Resurrection and Ascension.
Jude is also called Thaddeus, a name that helps distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. In the Gospel of John, Jude asks Jesus why He will reveal Himself to His disciples but not to the world. Jesus responds by teaching about God’s love and the indwelling presence of the Father and Son in those who love Him. Jude is identified as the author of the New Testament book the Epistle of Jude.
The New Testament gives little information about either Apostle’s missionary activity after Pentecost. Christian tradition associates Simon and Jude with missionary journeys through the Middle East and beyond. Some accounts indicate that Simon evangelized in Egypt and Jude went to Mesopotamia before the two eventually met in Persia, where they were both martyred.
The exact origin of St. Jude’s association with desperate causes is uncertain, but devotion to him developed strongly during the Middle Ages and continued to grow. One traditional explanation is that Christians sometimes hesitated to seek his intercession because his name was associated with Judas Iscariot. As devotion increased, Jude became particularly known as a powerful intercessor when situations seemed beyond human help. Today, Catholics throughout the world turn to him in prayer when facing challenging circumstances, trusting in God’s mercy and Providence through Jude’s intercession.
Historically and politically, Matthew and Simon represent a stark ideological contrast among the Twelve Apostles. Whether Simon belonged to the radical Zealot faction that wished death on tax collectors or was a zealous Jew devoted to his faith and its laws, the two could not have coexisted without Jesus. He loved them and taught them to love one another. Their peaceful coexistence has been attributed to the unifying power of the Gospel message. In speaking about the relationship between these two Apostles, Pope Benedict XVI said, “This is clearly a lesson for us … the Twelve is the prefiguration of the Church where there must be room for all charisms, peoples, and races … that find their composition and unity in communion with Jesus.”
The Letter of Jude is one of the shortest books of the New Testament, consisting of only 25 verses. It opens by identifying its author as “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James.” The author warns Christians against false teachers and urges them to remain faithful to the Apostolic Faith they have received. It concludes with a beautiful praise to God, who can preserve His people and bring them safely into His presence. Although some scholars have debated the author’s identity, the Epistle of Jude has been attributed to Jude Thaddeus the Apostle and is counted among the inspired books of the New Testament.
We know that everyone experiences hardships. But when these moments happen, we know the One who cares for us, the One who wants the best for us. The Lord will carry us through each trial we face, as long as we let Him.
This eBook features the Novena to St. Jude and other prayers. As one of Jesus’ Apostles and the patron of lost causes and desperate situations, St. Jude will intercede for us when all hope seems gone. We pray this resource helps you to trust the Lord with every problem and to always rely on His Divine Providence in good times and in bad.
Explore the lives of St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Simon the Zealot, the Apostles whose legacies of hope and miracles resonate strongly as we approach the 2025 Jubilee Year. Join art historian Elizabeth Lev as she shares incredible stories about these saints, their relics, and their impact on the faithful.
The Church celebrates Saints Simon and Jude, apostles and martyrs whose lives are less well known but whose faith helped bring Christ to the world. St. Simon the Zealot and St. Jude Thaddeus were among the Twelve chosen by Jesus and later sent to evangelize. Their relics, traditionally believed to have been brought to Rome by St. Helena, now rest in one of Christianity’s great churches. EWTN Vatican Reporter Benedicte Cedergren has more.
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As we deepen our relationship with the Eternal Word, Jesus Christ, we grow in grace and are transformed by His love and mercy.
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