Judas Levway, Thaddeus, Barsabas... Even his amazing name causes a series of controversies. He is united, praising, warm-hearted, after repentance he stood in the ranks of those who believed in the Messiah and loved Him with all his heart. After the unexpected betrayal of Judas Iscariot, Christians tried not to say this name out loud and not to use it in their vocabulary at all.
But the holy Apostle Judas Jacob was faithful to the Creator until the end of his days, until his martyrdom. But very little information has survived to this day about the life of the great saint.
The Story of Saint Jude, Later Thaddeus
Mentions in various biographies of Christ indicate the presence in his circle of another disciple named Judas, who should be distinguished from Iscariot. Mark and Matthew call the apostle Levway or Thaddeus. He was one of Joseph the Betrothed's own sons from his first wife and was Jesus' half-brother.
Origin
In the Middle Ages there was no doubt about the relationship between Judas Thaddeus and Christ. Modern Bible scholars believe that these are different individuals. But in his Epistle the apostle calls James his brother. He believed that he was not worthy to be called the brother of the Lord. The Jacob mentioned by Judas is also Joseph's own son, presumably the abbot of the church in Jerusalem, known as Jacob the Righteous.
According to legend, Joseph’s own sons did not see the Divine principle in Jesus and did not want their father to bequeath to him part of the property. Only Jacob recognized his kinship with Jesus and was ready to share the bequeathed land with his half-brother.
After this, Judas Thaddeus had a spiritual epiphany. He believed that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, followed him on his travels and entered the circle of the apostles. Having become a disciple of Christ, Thaddeus repented of unbelief and greed and did not dare to be called His brother.
Missionary
Saint Jude received the nickname after the betrayal of Iscariot, whose name was placed on an unspoken taboo among the followers of Christ. The name Levway is identical in meaning to Thaddeus, which means “to praise,” which is why both names appear in the Gospels.
After the Ascension of the Savior, Saint Jude carried the Word of God throughout the world. First he went to his native Galilee, and then walked around the lands of Judea, Edomite and Samara. While traveling through Persia, Thaddeus composed a Letter for all believers, with instructions for a righteous life, strengthening the faith by keeping the commandments and good deeds.
The Apostle traveled a long way and converted thousands of pagans to the true faith, until he finally came to Armenia. In the city of Ararat, the preacher fell out of favor with the idolatrous priests, who sealed his end. After much torture, Thaddeus suffered martyrdom on the cross, like the teacher Jesus. Instead of spears, the pagans shot him with bows.
The earthly path of the apostle ended in Ararat, to which the saint walked long and persistently
Through backbreaking labor he reached the Armenian city of Ararat; on his difficult path, Saint Jude turned a large number of pagan people away from the sinful worship of various idols. Thanks to their efforts, these people, who had almost taken the destructive path, became pious, believers in God.
Everything was fine until the local pagan clergy found out about St. Jude. And then they conceived a terrible crime: to catch and kill him. As a result, the apostle was captured by the executioners. They tortured the apostle for a long time, and after terrible torment he was crucified on the cross, and his body was pierced with sharpened arrows.
Meaning in Orthodoxy
Saint Jude Thaddeus conveyed in his Message moral principles that are important to learn and comprehend for Orthodox Christians and clergy. To achieve the Kingdom of God, you need to strive for spiritual purity and not betray your faith. You should also avoid heretical teachings and false teachers who reject the one God and distort His laws for the sake of their licentiousness.
The apostle warns against desecration of the flesh and denial of any superior authority. He calls to remember Sodom and Gomorrah and the angels who renounced God, eking out an existence in darkness awaiting the Day of Judgment. The Saint speaks in the Epistle about those who grumble at everything, indulge their lusts and boast about it. Thaddeus also recalls the spread of “scoffers” predicted by the apostles, pursuing selfish goals.
Saint Jude calls on believers to maintain love, humility and fear of God. He teaches to show mercy to sinners “with consideration”: to save and convict with fear, abhorring even defiled clothing.
The instructions of the Apostle Thaddeus remained relevant after many centuries. Saint Jude is an example of selfless devotion to faith and opposition to the dark animal nature of man, which is personified by idolatry, cruel and debauched morals of pagan rulers. Not by kinship, but by loyalty, he earned the right to be called a devoted friend and disciple of Christ.
List of apostles
First of all, let us turn to the canonical list of names of the 12 apostles of Christ who became His closest disciples. They are usually called in the following order:
- Andrew, usually mentioned with the addition of the title First-Called.
- Peter is his brother.
- John is an evangelist, the youngest of the apostles, a beloved disciple of Christ, who earned the title of Theologian.
- Jacob Zebedee, brother of the Apostle John the Theologian.
- Philip, about whom it is only known that he was from Bethsaida.
- Bartholomew is the same apostle whom Jesus called “a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile.”
- Matthew is an evangelist, a former publican who collected taxes.
- Thomas, nicknamed the Unbeliever because of his doubts about the resurrection of Jesus.
- Jacob Alfeev is the brother of the Apostle Thaddeus.
- Judas Thaddeus is the apostle discussed in our article. It should be noted that in the canonical list he is mentioned under two names at once.
- Simon the Zealot, also called Simon the Zealot in the New Testament.
- Judas Iscariot is a traitor who, after his apostasy and subsequent suicide, was replaced by an apostle named Matthias (not to be confused with Matthew!).
Reverence
In Orthodoxy, the Apostle Judas Thaddeus is glorified on June 19 (July 2). Catholic Remembrance Day is October 28th.
Saint Jude is revered in Eastern and Western countries. A particle of the relics of the apostle is one of the main relics of the Etchmiadzin Monastery, the stronghold of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The Armenians handed over some of the remains to American Catholics; a piece of the saint’s forearm is kept in Chicago.
The Ukrainian Catholic Church also venerates the Apostle Thaddeus. A piece of it went to the Lviv Church of St. George, as well as the Greek Catholic Church of St. Andrew the First-Called and the Orthodox St. Elias Monastery in Odessa.
A church in Jordan was consecrated in honor of the apostle. Until 1934, the Cathedral of Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew operated in Baku, which was subsequently destroyed. In Iran there is a monastery named after the Apostle. The monastery is abandoned, but on the day of remembrance of St. Jude, pilgrims gather in the main church and a festive service is held.
The saint has been immortalized in Western culture. El Greco’s painting “The Apostle Judas Thaddeus” is dedicated to the patron of the desperate. The artist of the Spanish Renaissance depicted the saint with a halberd in his hands. In Prague there is a monument to Thaddeus, the apostle and devoted friend of Christ.
Links
- Wikimedia Commons has media related to Thaddeus the Apostle
Divine service Armenian rite • Matah Personalities Gregory the Illuminator and the founders of the Armenian Church, the Apostles
Thaddeus and
BartholomewLists Churches and monasteries • Patriarchs • Dioceses • Saints Other Catholicos of All Armenians • Ashtishat Cathedral • Armenian Church Calendar • Vardapet
Iconography
The description of Judas Thaddeus differs in Greek and Russian iconographic originals. According to Greek tradition, the saint was supposed to be depicted young and beardless. In Russian icon painting manuals of the 18th century, the description of the apostle’s appearance mentions a graying beard, a dark red robe, a blue undershirt, and an omophorion. Judas held the scroll with both hands or only with his right hand, and with his left - the book.
On ancient paintings and reliefs the saint was depicted among the twelve apostles, but without any special signs. He is dressed in a white tunic and cloak or dressed in Greek style in a tunic and himation, like the other apostles.
On monastery frescoes depicting scenes from the New Testament, Judas Thaddeus is marked with initials. The most famous images of the apostle:
- on a triptych based on the apocrypha about the gift of a canvas with an imprint of the face of Christ to King Abgar and in the apostolic deesis from the Sinai monastery of St. Catherine;
- on a painting in the monastery in Matejce (Macedonia) together with James the Righteous and Simeon;
- scene of death on the fresco of the Acts of the Apostles in the Italian church of Santa Maria di Anglona.
On some church paintings, painters depicted the saint crucified or hanging from a tree.
Images of Judas Thaddeus are found on the pages of Greek menias and manuscripts next to the date of the apostle's memory. In the drawings, he holds a scroll in his left hand and blesses with his right. In Russian menaion books, the apostle was depicted as dark-haired, with a short beard, dressed in a green chiton and red cloak, with an omophorion.
What do they ask for from the patron of the desperate?
Saint Jude Thaddeus is a helper in hopeless cases. The Apostle is also considered the patron saint of Armenians.
Prayer to the apostle helps resolve the following situations:
- acquit an unjustly accused person;
- stop slanderers;
- take on a task that seems impossible;
- return hope and joy, to those in despair - to achieve justice and success;
- alleviate intractable diseases.
The saint is approached with a simple or special prayer. A special prayer is read for nine days and is called “nine day”.
Prayer text
Simple
Saint Thaddeus! You had the happiness of belonging to the family of Christ the Savior, glorious apostle and martyr. You shine with great virtues, faithful deputy of those who glorify you and trust you! You are our guardian and substitute in difficult circumstances. Therefore, I stand before you and pray from the depths of my heart:
Come to my aid with your powerful protection, for you have the grace from God to come quickly with help to those who have already lost all hope of salvation. Look at me kindly!
My life is a life of crosses, and the days of my life are a sea of suffering. The roads of my life are covered with thorns and every minute of it is a witness of tears and sighs. And to increase my misfortune, black thoughts creep into my heart. Anxiety, cowardice, lack of trust, even despair press close to the heart. Providence is closed before my eyes, and faith wavers in my heart. Such thoughts embed me in dark clouds of sadness. Don’t leave me in such a difficult state, but come with help!
I humbly ask you: Look mercifully at me and do not disdain my request. Let my trust not be betrayed! God has given you the grace to come to the aid of those who find themselves in a hopeless situation. Therefore, I also found myself in difficulty, please intercede before Christ the Savior. All my life I will express my gratitude to you and glorify your name and respect you as my special guardian. I will praise God for the mercies received through your mediation. I praise you in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Nine Day
Holy Apostle Jude Thaddeus! With the name of our Lord Jesus Christ in my heart, I turn my prayer to You. You were a faithful disciple and follower of Your Brother and Teacher Jesus Christ, carried his teachings, gave help to people in great trouble and need.
You suffered martyrdom at the hands of the pagans, but you did not betray your Brother and Teacher either in thought, word, or deed, and for that you have great and eternal gratitude in human hearts.
Help me, a sinner, get out of my difficulty, turn away trouble from me, and I will thank You for Your mercy and affection with a righteous life and will remember Your name in prayers. I glorify You in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever. Amen.
