October 28 - Saint Jude Thaddeus

Quick Facts

• Son of Cleophas, who died a martyr, and Mary who stood at the foot of the Cross, and who annointed Christ's body after death.
• Brother of Saint James the Lesser.
• Nephew of Mary and Joseph; blood relative of Jesus Christ, and reported to look a lot like him.
• May have been a fisherman.
• Apostle.
• Writer of canonical letter.
• Preached in Syria, Mesopotamia, and Persia with Saint Simon.
• Healer.
• Exorcist.
• Could exorcise pagan idols, which caused the demons to flee and the statues to crumble.
• His patronage of lost or impossible causes traditionally derives from confusion by many early Christians between Jude and Judas; not understanding the difference between the names, they never prayed for Jude's help, and devotion to him became something of a lost cause