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Heavenly Help: Saint Jude's Novena

What Is a Novena to Saint Jude and How Does it Work?

Jun 2, 2008

Open to the classified section of almost any newspaper and you'll find dozens of petitions and thank-yous to Saint Jude. Who is Saint Jude and what can he do for you?

A saint is a heavenly friend who, like earthly friends, can pray for living people. Unlike an earthly friend, however, a saint is much closer to God both logistically and spiritually; so it is believed that the prayers of a saint are very powerful. When a saint asks God for a favor on behalf of a living person, it’s called intercession. Catholics traditionally ask the saints to intercede with God on their behalf. The saints seem happy to oblige.

Who Is Saint Jude?

Jude, also know as the apostle Thaddeus, was both Jesus’ cousin and disciple. He is known as "the optimistic saint" because he brings hope whenever he is invoked.

Why Does Saint Jude Hold a Medallion?

In paintings, St Jude is almost always depicted as holding or wearing a medallion with a man's face on it. An ancient legend says that King Agbar of Edessa wrote to Jesus asking to be healed of leprosy. Jesus replied that although he would not be able to come, he would send one of his apostles. To console the king in his absence, Jesus pressed a cloth to his face and left a perfect image of his face on the fabric. The apostle Jude took the cloth to Edessa and healed King Abgar. In works of art, the image of the cloth was eventually replaced by a medallion.

Why Is Saint Jude The Saint of Hopeless Causes?

It’s possible that early Christians confused poor Jude with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, and so no one wanted to pray to him for intercession. As a result, the unfairly shunned Jude might have became doubly eager and may have worked doubly hard to please anyone who came to him for help.

What Can Saint Jude Do for Me?

Anyone who has been led down the wrong spiritual path can petition Saint Jude for help getting back on track. He is, after all, the author of Jude, a book in the New Testament which warns about false teachers and cautions believers about being spiritually led astray. Jude is also the patron saint of hopeless causes; so anyone who is in a desperate situation may call on him for help.

How to Pray Saint Jude’s Novena

Petition Saint Jude by writing out your wish or your hopeless situation. Place the paper in a prominent place where you will see it every day. Then, every day for nine days speak your request aloud, along with either the official Saint Jude Novena,or with something similar like this contemporary prayer:

Dear St. Jude, Please help me with my desperate situation (name it), please give me hope and confidence that my situation will improve. I ask that you use your infinite wisdom and mercy to intercede on my behalf. Amen.

At the end of the nine days, publicly thank Saint Jude for his assistance. For more information on Saint Jude, visit Saint Jude Shrine.

The copyright of the article Heavenly Help: Saint Jude's Novena in Catholic Saints is owned by Francine Morrissette. Permission to republish Heavenly Help: Saint Jude's Novena in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.