www.shrineofstjude.org His name is Judas Thaddeus. Thaddeus may be his nick name. Owing to the similarity of his name to that of Judas Iscariot, Saint Jude was rarely invoked in prayer. For that reason, interceding through him is seen as a final resort when all else failed. Thus, he became known as the patron saint of lost or desperate causes. Early translations of the New Testament changed his name to Jude Thaddeus to distinguish him from Judas Iscariot. Saint Jude's feast is commemorated every 28 October, together with Saint Simon, the Zealot. Jude and Simon are two of Jesus' twelve apostles mentioned in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In Luke, Jude is described as the son of James, while in the Letter of Jude, he is described as the brother of James. The name Jude is of Hebrew origin which means the praised one . The name Thaddeus means a courageous heart . Saint Jude Thaddeus's image is traditionally depicted with a Pentecost flame on his crown and ...