The Apostle St Jude Thaddeus
For a long time, St Jude Thaddeus was “the forgotten apostle” since he was mistaken for another – Judas Iscariot.
The Apostle St Jude Thaddeus was traditionally thought to be the brother of St James the Less and St Simon. He is credited as the author of the Epistle of St Jude in the New Testament, although this is generally considered doubtful.
After Jesus’s death, St Jude and his brother Simon are said to have proselytised in Persia, where they both met a martyr’s death. While St Simon was sawn in two, St Jude Thaddeus was beaten to death with a club and his head shattered with a broad axe.
The statue
The statue depicts St Jude with a book, symbolising that he wrote part of the Bible.
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Feast day
28 October
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Attribute
A club or axe, medallion, book.
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Patron saint of
Desperate situations and utmost need.
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The sculpture
The statue was modelled by Nic. Schiøll and carved by Oscar Lynum in 1947.