October 28 is approaching, and we get many questions about the prayer to Saint Jude Thaddeus and his novena: when it begins, how to pray it, and whether you need to follow a specific text. Here is the essentials, explained simply.
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What is asked of him, according to tradition
Tradition invokes Saint Jude Thaddeus as the patron of difficult and desperate causes. Those who are ill, looking for work, awaiting news, or see no way out of a problem turn to him.
It is important to be clear about what is asked. A saint does not grant anything on his own, but intercedes: he prays with us and for us. “He is not a saint who works miracles; miracles are done by God,” reminded Desde la Fe in 2024, the weekly publication of the Archdiocese of Mexico.
That is why there are no formulas that guarantee a result.
When is the novena prayed
A novena consists of nine consecutive days of prayer. The novena to Saint Jude Thaddeus is prayed during the nine days before his feast day: from October 19 to 27, ending on the eve of the 28th.
In 2026, it begins on Monday the 19th and ends on Tuesday the 27th. The feast day falls on Wednesday.
If you are late, or if what concerns you arises at another time of the year, you can still pray it: what matters are the nine days.
How to pray it simply
The novena published by ACI Prensa has the same structure each day: the sign of the cross, an act of contrition, a prayer to the saint, litanies, a different reflection each day (the first one, on his vocation), and, to finish, an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be. You can find the full text, day by day, on their website.
If you prefer something shorter, this is enough:
- Find a quiet time, preferably at the same time each day.
- Begin with the sign of the cross.
- State in your own words what you are asking for and on behalf of whom.
- Pray a prayer to Saint Jude, whichever one you choose.
- Finish with an Our Father, a Hail Mary, and a Glory Be.
Nothing else is needed. Colored candles with supposed powers, amulets, and rituals are not part of the Catholic faith.
If you are in Madrid, you can pray it before his image: we will tell you where in Saint Jude Thaddeus in Madrid: the Santa Cruz parish and Wednesdays.
Prayer to Saint Jude Thaddeus for difficult and desperate cases
Traditional prayers to Saint Jude usually greet him as an apostle and faithful friend of Jesus, ask for his help in a case that seems to have no way out, and end with the promise of gratitude. The best-known is this one, which is included in many novenas, such as the one from ACI Prensa (the text varies slightly from one edition to another):
Oh glorious apostle Saint Jude Thaddeus, faithful servant and friend of Jesus!
The name of the traitor who delivered your beloved Master into the hands of his enemies
has caused many to forget you,
but the Church honors and invokes you universally
as the patron of difficult and desperate causes.
Pray for me, for I am so helpless;
make use, I beg you, of that special privilege granted to you
to provide visible and prompt help when almost all hope is lost.
Come to my aid in this great need,
so that I may receive the consolations and help of heaven
in all my needs, tribulations, and sufferings,
particularly (here you state what you are asking for),
and so that you may bless God with you and with all the chosen for all eternity.
I promise you, glorious Saint Jude, to always remember this great favor
and never cease to honor you as my special and powerful patron. Amen.
ACI Prensa compiles other traditional prayers. And if you are praying for a sick family member, we have prepared a prayer to Saint Jude Thaddeus for the health of a family member.
One of our own simple prayers
This is one of our own simple prayers, in case it is useful to you:
Saint Jude Thaddeus, apostle and friend of Jesus,
today I bring you this that weighs on me and that I do not know how to resolve.
Present it to the Lord with me.
Ask for me patience to wait, light to decide
and confidence to accept whatever comes.
And that I do not forget to give thanks. Amen.
An intention for each day
This is our own suggestion, not a tradition: nine intentions so that you do not pray only for yourself.
- Day 1 (October 19). Put a name to what you are asking for.
- Day 2. For a sick person you know.
- Day 3. For your family.
- Day 4. For those looking for work.
- Day 5. For those studying or preparing for an exam.
- Day 6. For a pending reconciliation.
- Day 7. For those who are alone.
- Day 8. For patience, whatever the outcome.
- Day 9 (October 27). Give thanks for what you already have.
The 28th day of every month
In addition to his feast day, popular tradition commemorates him on the 28th day of every month. In Mexico, it is the day when his devotees visit him, as we explain in Saint Jude Thaddeus in Mexico: the devotion of the 28th day.
It is a good date to repeat the prayer.
Giving thanks
In the devotion to Saint Jude, gratitude weighs as much as the request. In the Santa Cruz parish of Madrid, his parish priest stated in 2016 that Wednesday Masses were all for petitions or thanksgiving.
Giving thanks does not depend on everything having gone as you wanted.
Some do it with a gesture: a visit, an offering, a medal that is worn for the first time or given as a gift. A medal is not an amulet; it is a keepsake that you carry close. If you want to have it blessed, we explain what the Church says and how to do it.
Our Saint Jude Thaddeus medals
They are our own designs and are handmade in Spain. All are double-sided: they feature Saint Jude on one side and the Virgin of Guadalupe on the other.
All come with their chain and wrapped for gifting at no extra cost, with 24–72 h shipping, free from €65 to the mainland and Balearic Islands. You can see them all in our Saint Jude Thaddeus collection.
Facts you can check
- The novena to Saint Jude Thaddeus begins on October 19; ACI Prensa publishes the text for the nine days. Source
- The structure of each day of that novena and the theme of the first, the apostle's vocation. Source
- The traditional prayer invoking him as the patron of difficult and desperate causes appears in the ACI Prensa novena. Source
- Three traditional prayers to ask for his intercession. Source
- “He is not a saint who works miracles; miracles are done by God” (Desde la Fe, July 18, 2024). Source
- His liturgical feast day is October 28; popularly he is commemorated on the 28th day of every month. Source
- In Santa Cruz de Madrid, Wednesday Masses are for petitions or thanksgiving (2016 data). Source
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