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Saint Jude Thaddeus, October 28
If you have ever passed through the center of Mexico City on the 28th, you will have seen a crowd of people carrying images of Saint Jude Thaddeus, dressed in green and white. It is one of the most vibrant popular devotions in all of Latin America.
The saint of difficult causes
Saint Jude Thaddeus was one of the twelve apostles, a relative of Jesus, and the author of one of the letters of the New Testament. He should not be confused with Judas Iscariot. For centuries he was rarely invoked precisely because of the confusion with the name, and perhaps that is why he became the saint people turn to «when there is no one else left»: the patron saint of difficult and desperate causes.
His story, and that of the Virgin who accompanies him on our medals, is in Saint Jude Thaddeus and Our Lady of Guadalupe: the story of a shared devotion.
Why the 28th
His feast day is October 28, which he shares with the apostle Saint Simon. In Mexico, his devotees visit him on the 28th of every month, especially at the temple of San Hipólito, in the center of the capital. In October the celebration multiplies: music, flowers, candles, and thousands of people who carry his image to be blessed.
Our Saint Jude Thaddeus medals
How he is recognized
- The green and white tunic, colors of hope.
- The medallion with the face of Jesus on the chest.
- The flame over the head, a reminder of Pentecost.
- The staff or the axe, instrument of his martyrdom.
We explain each one in detail in the symbols of Saint Jude Thaddeus.
Facts you can check
- The image venerated in San Hipólito was brought to Mexico by the Claretian missionaries in 1933, from Barcelona. It was moved to San Hipólito in the sixties, and since then the devotion has not stopped growing. Source
- In 2024 a first-class relic, the bone of the saint's arm, traveled through Mexico. About 22 million people came to venerate it. Source
- At the Last Supper he asked Jesus a question that is recorded in the Gospel of Saint John: «Lord, why is it that you are going to manifest yourself to us and not to the world?» (Jn 14,22). Source
- The nickname «Thaddeus» is often explained by the Aramaic taddà', «chest», although its origin is not known with certainty. Source
A medal to ask… and to thank
Many people give a medal of Saint Jude to someone going through a difficult time, and many others wear it as thanks for a granted favor. Ours feature Saint Jude on one side and the Our Lady of Guadalupe on the other, as is done in Mexico.
If you want to give it as a gift for October 28, order it in advance: view all Saint Jude Thaddeus medals, with 24–72 h shipping, free from €65 and always gift-wrapped.
Marian and Bárbara