Did you know? The image of Jesus that Saint Jude holds is not a medal which commonly seen on all his statues, but the mandalion, which is a cloth. Saint Jude, known as Thaddeus in the Gospels, is always portrayed with a staff, a book and a large medallion of Jesus’ face. The staff and book imagery makes sense, he travelled to spread the Gospel and wrote a short epistle.

But why does he carry an image of our Lord? The answer goes back to the time of Jesus’ public ministry. In the tradition recorded in the early 4th century by Eusebius of Caesarea, King Abgar of Edessa lay dying of an incurable disease. He hadn’t despaired of his life yet, however.

Rumour had reached him of a holy man who worked miracles in distant Israel. With hope, Abgar sent a letter to this man, begging him to come to Edessa. When our Lord was given this letter, he did not go to the dying king.

Instead he said he would send one of his apostles, Jude Thaddeus. Before Jude made the journey, however, Jesus pressed a cloth against his face and gave the cloth to Jude. Saint Jude then went to Abgar and presented the cloth to him.

It bore a miraculous impression of Christ’s face. Abgar looked upon it and was immediately healed. That is why Saint Jude, of all the apostles, is depicted bearing the face of Christ, because he was entrusted with an image of our Lord.

It is also part of the reason why Saint Jude is the patron saint of impossible causes. He can bring our Lord’s healing grace to any situation. Even though great saints of the Church, Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, and particularly Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, wrote admiringly of Saint Jude, and others, devotion to Saint Jude did not become widespread until Jesus himself suggested it to Saint Bridget of Sweden.

He directed her in a vision to turn to Saint Jude with great faith and confidence. In a vision, Christ told Saint Bridget, in accordance with his surname, Thaddeus, the amiable or loving, he will show himself most willing to give help. Saint Jude Thaddeus, patron of hope and difficult causes, pray for us.

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