ST. JUDE THADDEUS (OCT. 28TH)

A Contemporary Icon of St. Jude Thaddeus, Combining Characteristics of Both Eastern and Western Iconography

By Bp. Joseph (Ancient Church of the West) 

In the time when our Lord Jesus Christ walked in Galilee, Jude Thaddeus, son of Clopas and cousin to the Savior, was chosen among the Twelve. Known for his zeal and steadfastness, St. Jude was of Jewish lineage, and his name, Thaddeus, meaning "heart" or "courageous," spoke to his character. From the outset, he bore an ardent devotion to Christ, setting aside all for the Gospel.

The Gospels recount little of Jude’s deeds during Christ’s earthly ministry, but tradition holds that following Pentecost, Jude was appointed to proclaim the Good News to Mesopotamia, and particularly to Edessa, a city in need of salvation. The King of Edessa, Abgar the Black, afflicted by a grave illness, had sent word to Christ for healing. After our Lord’s ascension, Jude traveled to Edessa, carrying with him the very words and image of Christ. Through Jude, the king was healed, and Edessa, the first kingdom to proclaim Christ, received the light of the true faith.

In Mesopotamia, St. Jude is credited with bringing and nurturing the faith among the people, especially with his role in the early liturgical life of the Church. Together with his disciple, St. Mari, he composed what is considered the oldest extant Eucharistic liturgy in Christendom, next to the Liturgy of St. James of Jerusalem, known as the Liturgy of Sts. Addai and Mari. This liturgy, full of reverence and mystic depth, became the foundation of the worship of the Church of the East. It endures to this day, a living witness to the timeless beauty of the apostolic faith.

From Edessa, the light of the Gospel spread through Mesopotamia, taking root in Assyria and, through the work of apostles and disciples, reaching as far as India and the Far East. In India, the Apostle Thomas continued the work begun by Jude and brought the faith to new lands, establishing communities that remain to this day. Jude’s legacy extended to the edges of the known world, where the early Church thrived against all odds, flourishing amidst cultures often hostile to the faith.

In later centuries, as the Church of the East faced great persecution and hardship, St. Jude’s patronage of lost causes grew in significance to them, as they remembered him as their Apostolic Founder and Patron in the Heavenly Court. Just as he carried Christ's message of hope to those on the margins of the Roman Ecumene, the Assyrian Nation, Christianity in the Far East, and now the Western Orthodox Mission in the Far East all still draw strength from St. Jude’s heavenly intercessions.

St. Jude Bringing the Mandylion to King Abgar of Edessa, Converting the Assyrian Nation to Christ and Establishing the First Christian Country

St. Jude’s remains were eventually brought to Constantinople, where his relics were venerated with great reverence. From there, devotion to him spread throughout the West, where he became known as the patron of lost causes—a fitting title for an apostle who carried the faith to distant lands, enduring for the sake of souls who had no other light but that of Christ. Later, after the Crusades, St. Jude's Body was parsed, and now rests in many Cathedrals across the East and West. 

Today, as we labor in the fields of Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, and Korea, we follow in the footsteps of St. Jude. Like him, we bring Christ to those who seek hope, light, and peace in a world often indifferent to the Gospel. In St. Jude, we find an advocate and companion in our mission, a saint whose life was spent bringing souls to the Lord, regardless of the opposition or difficulty he faced.

We beseech you, St. Jude, and all of our heavenly Brothers and Sisters, to pray for us, to strengthen our resolve, and to intercede for our mission in the Far East, that the message of Christ may take root and flourish where it is most needed. Pray that Christ may come quickly to restore and renew all things, bringing to completion the work of salvation begun so long ago.

COLLECT

O Lord, who didst choose Thine Apostle Jude to bear Thy name among distant lands and peoples, grant unto us, we beseech Thee, a like courage and devotion, that we may bring forth the light of Thy Gospel in the world, and especially to the nations of the Far East: grant us St. Jude’s enduring strength in times of trial and his loving compassion in our labors. By his prayers and holy example, may we serve Thee faithfully and be gathered with him in Thy heavenly Kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with Thee and the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen.

A Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus in a Western Orthodox Context in the United States