Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

Simon and Jude are named among the Twelve in the Gospels and Acts. Simon is called the Zealot, or the Cananaean, a name that may point to zeal for the Law or to the Zealot movement. Jude is called “Judas son of James” by Luke and “Thaddaeus” by Matthew and Mark; in the Gospel of John, at the Last Supper, “Judas, not Iscariot” asks Jesus why he will show himself to them and not to the world. The Letter of Jude is ascribed to a Jude, brother of James, whom some identify with the apostle. Western tradition says the two preached together in Persia and died there as martyrs, which is why they share a feast. Jude is widely invoked as patron of desperate causes.