St Jude Pendant Meaning: The Patron Saint of Lost Causes

St Jude is the saint you call on when you've run out of other people to call. The diagnosis, the court date, the business that's one bad month from closing, the son who's stopped picking up the phone. For centuries, those have been his cases.

That's why so many men wear him. This guide covers who St Jude was, how an almost forgotten apostle became the patron saint of lost causes, what the symbols on his pendant mean, and how to wear one.

For the days when the odds look long. Featured: St. Jude (Gold).

Jump to:

• Who St Jude was
• Why he's the patron saint of lost causes
• St Jude and Judas: not the same man
• The symbols he carries
• What wearing St Jude means
• Our St Jude pendant and ring
• How to wear a St Jude pendant
• Giving St Jude as a gift
• FAQs

Who Was St Jude?

Jude was one of the twelve apostles, the inner circle around Jesus. The Gospels give him several names, including Thaddeus and "Judas, not Iscariot", and he speaks only once in them: at the Last Supper, he asks Jesus why he will show himself to his followers and not to the wider world. Tradition also links him to the short Letter of Jude near the end of the New Testament.

After the crucifixion, accounts have him preaching far from home. Armenian Christians honor him, alongside St Bartholomew, as one of the apostles who first brought the faith to Armenia. Tradition says he was martyred around AD 65, either in Armenia or in Beirut, and since 1665 his remains have rested in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, in the same tomb as the apostle Simon the Zealot.

Sized to sit quietly on the chest. Featured: St. Jude (Gold).

Why Is St Jude the Patron Saint of Lost Causes?

Because for a long time, almost nobody prayed to him. His name was too close to Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, and many Christians were wary of using it. Jude became the overlooked saint, the one at the back of the queue.

The story that grew around him turned that on its head. If you'd already tried everyone else, the reasoning went, Jude would hear you, precisely because so few people asked. Medieval visions reported by St Bridget of Sweden and St Bernard of Clairvaux are said to have named him the patron of the impossible, and the reputation stuck. He became the saint for the cases nobody else would take.

The best-known modern example comes from the American entertainer Danny Thomas. Struggling for work and with his first child on the way, he put his last $7 in a church offering box in Detroit and made a vow to St Jude. Within a week he had a job that changed his career. Years later he kept his promise by founding St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, which opened in 1962.

The open frame lets the light through. Featured: St. Jude (Gold).

Is St Jude the Same as Judas?

No, and it's the most common mix-up about him. There were two apostles called Judas. Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus. The other, Judas Thaddeus, stayed loyal and is the man we call St Jude. When the New Testament was translated from Greek into English, translators used "Jude" for the loyal apostle so the two would never be confused.

The confusion is also the reason he became who he is. Without it, Jude might have been just another apostle. Because of it, he became the saint for anyone who feels passed over.

What Do the Symbols on a St Jude Pendant Mean?

St Jude is one of the easiest saints to recognize once you know what to look for:

Not every piece shows all four. On our Lost Soul Ring, for example, he holds the staff in one hand and the medallion at his chest in the other, under a halo.

What Does It Mean to Wear a St Jude Pendant?

Most men who wear St Jude are carrying something. The details differ, but the reasons tend to fall into four groups:

• Holding on: you're in the middle of something hard and need a reason to keep going tomorrow.
• Saying thank you: something you'd given up on came through, and the pendant is your way of marking it, the way Danny Thomas built a hospital.
• Standing with someone: you wear him for a friend or family member who's going through it, so they know they're not carrying it alone.
• Refusing to write anything off: a reminder that "hopeless" is usually a judgment made too early.

Our religious pendants guide covers how St Jude compares with Mary, the crucifix and St Christopher in the most powerful religious pendants for men.

Under an open shirt, where only you need to know it's there. Featured: St. Jude (Gold).

Our St Jude Pendant and Ring

The St Jude pendant

Our St Jude pendant shows the saint in an open circular frame with a twisted rope edge, so the figure stands out against whatever you're wearing underneath. At 22mm by 22mm, it's big enough to read clearly and small enough for every day. It hangs from a 2mm Figaro chain, 20.5in long, and our guide to the Figaro chain explains where that link comes from.

The same saint in silver. Featured: St. Jude (Silver).

Gold or silver?

The gold version catches the light and leans into the traditional look of a holy medal. The silver St Jude is quieter and sits more easily with darker clothes and a steel watch. If you already wear one metal every day, stay with it.

Silver against black keeps it low-key. Featured: St. Jude (Silver).

The Lost Soul Ring

For St Jude on your hand rather than your chest, the Lost Soul Ring sets him on a round signet face in 18K gold, framed by the same kind of twisted rope border as the pendant, with the words Lost Soul on its shoulders. The name is the point: it's fine to feel lost for a while. It comes in four US sizes: 6, 8, 10 and 12, and our ring size guide shows how to find yours.

St Jude on the hand. Featured: Lost Soul Ring (Gold).

The engraved shoulders carry the words Lost Soul. Featured: Lost Soul Ring (Gold).

A ring keeps him in sight in a way a pendant can't. For which finger to choose and how to balance a signet with other rings, see our guide to styling a men's signet ring.

How Should You Wear a St Jude Pendant?

St Jude is a personal piece, so most men keep the styling simple:

• On its own: the Figaro chain it comes on is all it needs. Worn under a shirt, it's just for you; over a T-shirt, it starts conversations.
• Layered: add one plain chain, a little shorter or a little heavier, and let the saint stay the focal point.
• With the ring: the pendant and the Lost Soul Ring share the rope-edged frame, so they read as a set in gold.
• With another saint: St Jude for the hard stretch, St Christopher for the journey, or St Michael for protection. Pair two, on different lengths, so each keeps its own space.

Our men's chain length guide shows where each length sits if you're layering.

Layered with a plain chain for more weight. Featured: St. Jude (Gold).

A shorter plain chain above keeps the saint as the focus. Featured: St. Jude (Silver).

Is a St Jude Pendant a Good Gift?

It's one of the most meaningful you can give, as long as the timing is right. St Jude suits someone facing a long recovery, a job loss, a court case, a business on the edge or a stretch of their life that won't let up. It says what's hard to say out loud: I haven't written you off.

His feast day falls on 28 October, which gives you a natural moment to give one. If the person you're buying for is close to Mary rather than to the saints, our guide to Virgin Mary jewelry for men may suit them better.

Looking After Your St Jude

Our St Jude pendant and the Lost Soul Ring are both built on a solid 316L stainless steel core, triple-coated in 18K gold or, for silver, rhodium.

• Showers and rain: fine. The steel core and coating are made for daily wear.
• Pools, hot tubs and the sea: take it off. Chlorine and salt are hard on any finish.
• Sensitive skin: stainless steel releases very little nickel, which is why it suits most people for everyday wear.
• Cleaning: a soft cloth with warm, soapy water reaches into the open frame and the rope edge. Dry it fully before you put it back on.

St Jude FAQs

What is St Jude the patron saint of?

Lost causes, desperate situations and things that seem impossible. People turn to him when every other option has run out, which is why he's often called the saint of last resort.

Is St Jude the same person as Judas?

No. St Jude, also called Jude Thaddeus, was a different apostle from Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. English translators used the name Jude to keep the two apart.

Why does St Jude have a flame above his head?

The flame stands for Pentecost, when the apostles received the Holy Spirit, traditionally shown as tongues of fire resting on each of them.

What is St Jude holding?

Usually a round image of Jesus' face, linked to the legend of the Image of Edessa. He's also shown with a staff, and sometimes with an axe or club, a reference to the way tradition says he was martyred.

When is St Jude's feast day?

28 October in the Western Church, the day he shares with St Simon. Eastern churches remember him in June.

Can I wear St Jude if I'm not Catholic?

Yes. Jude was one of the twelve apostles, so he belongs to the whole Christian story, and many men wear him simply as a reminder to keep going. Wear him sincerely and nobody will think twice.

Can you wear a St Jude necklace in the shower?

Ours, yes. Our St Jude pendant has a 316L stainless steel core, so showers and rain are fine. Take it off for pools, hot tubs and the sea, where chlorine and salt are hard on any finish.

Is there a St Jude ring?

Yes. Our Lost Soul Ring carries St Jude on a round signet face, in 18K gold, and comes in four US sizes: 6, 8, 10 and 12. Our ring size guide shows how to find yours.

For the Cases Nobody Else Will Take

St Jude was the apostle people overlooked, and that's exactly why he became the one they turn to when nothing else has worked. Wearing him is a quiet way of saying you haven't given up yet, on yourself or on someone else.

See the St Jude pendant in gold and silver, the Lost Soul Ring, or explore our full range of religious pendants.