PRAYER TO SAINT JUDE THADDEUS
PRAY FOR INTERCESSION, HEALING, AND FINANCIAL HELP TO THE PATRON SAINT OF THE IMPOSSIBLE
About This Prayer
Saint Jude Thaddeus, one of the Twelve Apostles, is the patron saint of desperate and impossible causes. His feast day is October 28. This prayer seeks his powerful intercession in times of urgent need, financial difficulty, or seemingly hopeless situations.
Feast Day: 28-October
DAILY PRAYER
O Holy Saint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, great in virtue and rich in miracles, near kinsman of Our Lord Jesus Christ, saint of lost and impossible causes and intercessor of all who invoke your special patronage in dire times of need. To you I have recourse from the depth of my heart and humbly beg of you, to whom God has given such great power, to come to my assistance. (mention your request), Saint Jude, holy apostle and martyr, ask our Lord Jesus Christ to enlighten our beloved clergy that they may see the urgency of defending from the pulpit and from the altar the littlest brothers and sisters of Jesus, who are God’s unborn children. Amen. I beg you to assist me in my present and urgent request. In return, I promise to make your name known and have you invoked. Saint Jude, pray for all who invoke your help. Amen. V. Saint Jude, Apostle and Martyr, R. Pray for us.
Related Prayers
Common Questions
When and how is the prayer to Saint Jude prayed?
The prayer to Saint Jude Thaddeus may be prayed at any time, especially in moments of urgent or seemingly hopeless need. His feast day is October 28, shared with the apostle Saint Simon the Zealot, and many of the faithful pray a novena to him in the nine days leading up to that feast. A widespread practice is to pray to Saint Jude with confidence and to publicly thank him when prayers are answered, often by sharing his name with others who are suffering.
Who was Saint Jude Thaddeus?
Saint Jude Thaddeus was one of the twelve Apostles chosen by Jesus, called Thaddeus to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. He is the author of the brief but powerful Letter of Jude in the New Testament, in which he urges the faithful to 'contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.' Tradition holds that he preached the Gospel in Mesopotamia, Syria, and Persia alongside Saint Simon, and was martyred for the faith. His relics are venerated in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome.
Why is Saint Jude called the patron of impossible causes?
A long-standing Catholic tradition holds that, because his name is so similar to that of Judas Iscariot, the early faithful often avoided invoking Saint Jude, leaving him 'unclaimed,' so to speak, until those in truly desperate situations turned to him. He responded with such powerful intercession that he came to be regarded as the patron of hopeless and impossible causes. Today he is one of the most widely invoked saints in the Catholic world, especially in moments of grave illness, financial crisis, or seemingly impossible situations.
How is devotion to Saint Jude practiced today?
Modern devotion to Saint Jude was greatly spread through the work of the Claretian Missionaries in Chicago, who founded the National Shrine of Saint Jude in A.D. 1929 during the early days of the Great Depression. Many shrines and churches around the world now bear his name, and his medal and image are found in homes, hospitals, and prisons. Catholics often pray a novena to Saint Jude or include his prayer in their daily devotions, especially when a friend or family member faces a difficult situation.