Sts. Simon and Jude

Their story

Simon and Jude were two of the twelve apostles, and little is known about either of them. Simon is called "the Zealot" in the Gospels, which may mean that before he followed Jesus he belonged to a group of Jewish patriots who wanted to drive out the Romans, or simply that he was known for his zeal. Jude, also called Thaddeus, is the apostle who asked Jesus at the Last Supper why He would reveal Himself to the disciples and not to the world. Jesus answered that He and the Father would come to anyone who loves Him and keeps His word. The short Letter of Jude in the New Testament has traditionally been attributed to him. According to an ancient tradition, the two apostles preached the Gospel together in Persia and died there as martyrs, which is why the Church honors them on the same day. St. Jude became one of the most popular saints in the world as the patron of hopeless causes. One explanation is that because his name sounded like that of Judas, who betrayed Jesus, people long hesitated to pray to him, so that he became the saint people turned to when everything else had failed. Countless people have prayed to St. Jude in desperate situations, and the famous St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis was founded in thanksgiving for his help.