St. Jude, Patron of Hopeless Causes

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Feast day: October 28  ·  1st century – c. 65 AD  ·  Patron of desperate and hopeless causes

When a situation seems impossible — an illness without a cure, a marriage past saving, a prayer that feels unanswered — Catholics have for centuries turned to St. Jude Thaddeus, the apostle invoked as the patron of desperate and hopeless causes. Below is who he was, why he is the saint of last resort, and the traditional prayer that bears his name.

Who was St. Jude?

St. Jude (also called Thaddeus) was one of the Twelve Apostles — “Judas, not the Iscariot,” as the Gospel of John carefully distinguishes him (John 14:22). Tradition counts him a kinsman of the Lord and names him the author of the short New Testament Letter of Jude. After Pentecost he preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia and Persia, where, with the apostle Simon, he is traditionally held to have been martyred for the faith.

For most of Christian history he was, in a sense, the forgotten apostle: because his name so closely resembled that of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer, the faithful were slow to invoke him. Tradition turned that very neglect into his glory — precisely because so few asked his help, he is said to be especially eager to assist those who finally do.

Patron saint of desperate and hopeless causes

St. Jude is the patron of desperate, difficult, and hopeless causes — the situations people pray about when every human remedy has failed. Devotion to him surged in the twentieth century, spread by shrines and novenas, and his name is now among the most invoked of all the apostles. People turn to him in serious illness, financial ruin, broken relationships, and any crisis that looks beyond repair, asking him to carry their petition to the Lord he served and loved.

The Prayer to St. Jude

The traditional prayer invoking St. Jude in time of great need:

Saint Jude, glorious Apostle, faithful servant and friend of Jesus: The name of the traitor has caused you to be forgotten by many, but the true Church invokes you universally as the Patron of things despaired of. Pray for me, that finally I may receive the consolations and the succor of Heaven in all my necessities, tribulations and sufferings, particularly (here make your request), and that I may bless God with the Elect throughout eternity. Amen.

Saint Jude, Apostle, martyr and relative of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Mary and of Joseph, intercede for us.

Frequently asked

What is St. Jude the patron saint of?

St. Jude is the patron of desperate, difficult, and hopeless causes — the situations people pray about when every other remedy has failed. He is invoked in serious illness, financial crisis, and seemingly impossible circumstances.

When is the feast day of St. Jude?

October 28, which he shares with the apostle St. Simon. The two are traditionally held to have preached and been martyred together.

Why is St. Jude the saint of lost causes?

Because his name resembled that of Judas Iscariot, the early Church was slow to invoke him, and he became a kind of 'forgotten' apostle. Tradition holds that he is therefore especially eager to help those who finally do turn to him — making him the patron of last resort.

How do you pray to St. Jude?

You ask him to intercede — to bring your petition before God — usually through the traditional Prayer to St. Jude above, often prayed as a novena (nine consecutive days). As with all the saints, you do not worship him; you ask for his prayers, as you might ask a friend to pray for you.

More saints: St. Anthony · St. Michael · all saints & prayers