St. Jude-Helper in Great Need: History According To Tradition
St. Jude-Helper in Great Need: History According To Tradition
St. Jude-Helper in Great Need: History According To Tradition
DEVOTION to the holy apostles should be cherished because they were the first teachers of our Faith. During the
Middle Ages the Apostles were held in high veneration, but in our materialistic age this devotion has greatly declined,
though veneration to St. Jude Thaddeus has been revived in recent years.
St. Jude is called the patron of hopeless and desperate cases, owing to singular help he has obtained for his clients in
grave necessities.
This holy Apostle bears the surname Thaddeus (meaning the amiable, loving), which distinguishes him from Judas
Iscariot, the traitor. Besides the Apostle James the Less, Jude had two other brothers, who together with himself are called
the brethren of Jesus, which in Hebrew signifies a near relationship. His father was Cleophas, who was probably a
brother of St. Joseph. Because of his fearless confession of the resurrection of Christ, Cleophas was put to death by the
Jews and thus won the crown of martydom. The mother of our Apostle was Mary of Cleophas, a cousin of the Blessed
Virgin, who with Mary stood by the Cross of Jesus on Calvary.
In his boyhood, Jude and his brothers must have been close companions of Jesus. No mention is made of Judes
occupation before his call to the apostolate, but we may judge that he was a farmer, since he belonged to the Tribe of
Juda, which was devoted to farming.
From the time Jude was chosen an Apostle, he laboured with untiring zeal, particularly for the conversion of the
Gentiles.
CONVERSION OF BARBARIANS
After firmly establishing the Church in Edessa, St. Jude visited the whole of Mesopotamia, preaching the Gospel and
everywhere increasing the number of the faithful. Having returned to Jerusalem for the Council of the Apostles, he
afterwards joined St. Simon in Libya, where the two Apostles spread the light of the Gospel. Then they set out for Persia
where God gave them an abundant harvest. It is impossible to compute the number converted or to describe the change in
the manners and customs of that savage people.
Before the arrival of the two Apostles, the laws and habits of the Persians were unjust and wicked. The marriage tie
was totally disregarded; the dead were thrown into the fields to become the food of wild beasts, and other barbarities
prevailed. Taught by the Apostles the noble and generous sentiments of the true religion, these people soon became the
admiration of other Christians. Barbarity was replaced by gentleness, cruelty by Christian charity, impiety by evangelical
perfection.
APOSTOLIC LABOURS IN PERSIA
In Persia, the two Apostles were continually thwarted in their work by two magicians named Zaroes and Arfaxat. By
their art and incantations these magicians tried to uphold the worship of idols. At every step they confronted the Apostles
and denounced them as impostors, but the two saints invariably exposed their tricks and impostures. In the presence of the
two holy Apostles, the idols refused to answer their false priests. When the Apostles, in the name of God, commanded
them to speak, they were forced to acknowledge the saints as the disciples of the true God. The saints then ordered the
demons inhabiting the idols to quit them, which they did, howling with rage and shattering the images.
The two Apostles set out for the camp of Verardach, commander-in-chief of the Persian army, where they were met by
the same magicians, Zaroes and Arfaxat. The Persians were then preparing to march against an army from India, and
Verardach was anxious to know what the outcome of the war would be. We know you are more powerful than our gods,
he said to the Apostles, for at your approach the idols fell to the ground. After the war is over, we will gladly listen to
your teaching. Tell us what the result of the war will be.
The Apostles commanded the demons to answer. Questioned by their priests, the idols replied that the war would be
long and many would perish.
Fear not, O Prince, your gods lie: joyfully exclaimed the two Apostles. Tomorrow, at this same hour, ambassadors
will arrive from your enemy to conclude negotiations of peace.
On the following day the ambassadors from India arrived at the hour designated by the two saints, and terms of peace
were agreed upon. The Prince, indignant at the false prophecies of the wicked magicians, ordered them to be burned alive,
and likewise all who maligned the holy Apostles. But Saints Simon and Jude interceded with the commander, and the
punishment was averted.
Filled with admiration for the two Apostles, Prince Verardach conducted them to the King of Persia. Here they also
performed miracles to frustrate the wicked designs of the same magicians, who had preceded them there. Everywhere
great numbers were converted to the Faith. In all the towns and villages traversed by Saints Simon and Jude, they found
that the magicians had gone before them to prejudice and incite the people against them; but at the approach of the
Apostles, the impostors invariably fled.
Once a number of idolatrous priests assembled before their king, bringing the two Apostles for condemnation. The
priests held charmed serpents in their hands and set them loose upon the Apostles. The snakes, however, turning upon the
priests, encircled and bit them until the Apostles commanded the reptiles to cease. Some serpents were laid on the ground
and the Apostles were commanded to take them up. They did so, and held them to their breasts beneath their mantles
without being bitten. The priests were then told to take up the snakes. When they took hold of them, the reptiles bit their
hands and curled around them, causing the priests to cry out in terror. At the sight of this wonder, many people were
converted, and the king also embraced the Christian Faith.
MARTYRDOM
The fact that numberless souls were brought to accept the true religion by St. Jude aroused the hatred of unbelievers
and secured for the holy Apostle the crown of martyrdom. Authorities differ as to the manner of his death. Tradition states
that he was beaten with clubs and his head cleft with a broadax.
His body was brought to Rome and is now honoured in St. Peters Basilica. Pope Paul III, in a Brief dated September
22, 1548, granted a plenary indulgence to all who visited his tomb on his feast, which is celebrated on October 28. This
shows that devotion to St. Jude flourished in the Middle Ages, for the grant of a plenary indulgence was then very rare.
Though the body of the holy Apostle rests in St. Peters in Rome, his helpful, living charity is diffused throughout the
world, and in every country people experience his wonderful aid in difficulties and trials of the most helpless nature.
St. Jude seems to have been among the last of the twelve Apostles to die for his Master, as he implies by the 17 th verse
of his Epistle: Beloved, be mindful of the words that have been spoken beforehand by the Apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ. His Epistle is in keeping with the amiable disposition which tradition ascribes to him. Beloved, build up
yourselves upon your most holy Faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto life everlasting (1, 20-21).
Though the Epistle of St. Jude is one of the shortest in the New Testament, it is remarkable for the strength and
grandeur of its language. It applies clearly to the eventful times in which we now live. The profound humility of St. Jude
shines forth in a singular manner. Far from calling himself a relative of Jesus, though he was such, St. Jude terms himself
a servant of Jesus Christ.
COLLECT. O God, who through Thy blessed Apostle Jude hast brought us unto the knowledge of Thy Name, grant
that by advancing in virtue we may set forth his everlasting glory, and by setting forth his glory, we may advance in
virtue. Through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .
EPISTLE. EPH. 4. Brethren: To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christs bestowal. Thus it
says, Ascending on high, He led away captives, He gave gifts to men. Now this, He ascended, what does it mean but
that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended, He it is who ascended also above all the
heavens, that He might fill all things. And He Himself gave some men as apostles, and some as prophets, others again as
evangelists, and others as pastors and teachers, in order to perfect the saints for a work of ministry, for building up the
Body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of deep knowledge of the Son of God, to perfect manhood,
to the mature measure of the fullness of Christ.
GRADUAL. Ps. 44. Thou shalt make them princes aver all the earth: they shall remember Thy Name, O Lord. V.
Instead of Thy fathers, sons are born to Thee: therefore shall people praise Thee. Alleluia, Alleluia.
V. Ps. 138. Thy friends, O God, are made exceedingly honourable: their principality is exceedingly strengthened. Al-
leluia.
GOSPEL. JOHN 15. At that time, Jesus said to His disciples: These things I command you that you love one another.
If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before you. If I were of the world, the world would love what is its own.
But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. No servant is
greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you also; if they have kept My word, they will
keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My Names sake, because they do not know Him who sent
Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin. He who hates Me, hates My Father also. If I had not
done among them works such as no one else has done, they would have no sin. But now they have seen and have hated
both Me and My Father; but that the word written in their law may be fulfilled, They have hated Me without cause.
OFFERTORY. Ps. 18. Their sound went forth into all the earth; and their words unto all the ends of the world.
SECRET. We who honour the eternal glory of Thy holy Apostle Jude beseech Thee, O Lord, that, being cleansed by
these holy mysteries, we may become more worthy to do him homage. Through our Lord . . .
PREFACE. It is truly meet and just, right and availing unto salvation, humbly to pray Thee, O Lord, the eternal Shep-
herd, to abandon not Thy flock; but through Thy blessed Apostles to keep a continual watch over it; that it may be
governed by those same rulers whom Thou didst set over it as shepherds and as Thy vicars. And therefore with the angels
and archangels, the thrones and dominations, and the whole host of the heavenly army, we sing the hymn of Thy glory,
saying again and again: Holy, holy, holy . .
COMMUNION. MATT. 19. You who have followed Me shall sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel, saith
the Lord.
POSTCOMMUNION. Having received Thy Sacraments, O Lord, we humbly entreat Thee, that through the intercess-
ion of Thy blessed Apostle Jude, what we do in honour of his martyrdom may avail us as a healing remedy. Through our
Lord . . .
OFFERING.
O Eternal Father, I offer Thee this holy Sacrifice to Thy highest praise, with that same intention and for the same aim
and end as Thy beloved Son, the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Himself, offers it to Thee. I offer it especially for the
greater glory and beatitude of St. Jude Thaddeus, in thanksgiving for all the graces and eternal bliss bestowed upon him,
and for my spiritual and temporal needs, particularly for . . . Amen.
NOVENAS
Any of the following prayers may be used for a Novena, according to ones needs.
Imprimi Potest: A: Castellotto, S.S.P. Printed with Ecclesiastical Approval Sydney, January 18, 1964.
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