Apostle Apostle Jude (Lebbaeus, Thaddaeus)

Apostle Jude, also called in the Gospels Lebbaeus ("heart-like") and Thaddaeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Christ — not to be confused with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Savior. According to Eastern (Orthodox) tradition, he was a son of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage (i.e., a brother of the Lord in the flesh) and a full brother of the Apostle James, Brother of the Lord (hence the designation "Jude of James" — "Jude, son/brother of James"); Western tradition (following Blessed Jerome) presents him differently — as a cousin of Christ through Cleopas-Alphaeus, identifying him with Jude, brother of James son of Alphaeus — this is a genuine divergence between the Eastern and Western traditions, not an error.

He preached in Judea, Galilee, Samaria, Idumea, Arabia, Syria, and Mesopotamia, reaching Edessa, where he continued the healing of King Abgar begun by Thaddaeus of the Seventy. According to tradition, he also visited Persia and Armenia.

He wrote in Greek, while in Persia, the canonical Catholic Epistle of Jude, included in the New Testament — devoted to the teaching on the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, and the Last Judgment, emphasizing that faith without works is insufficient for salvation.

He suffered martyrdom around the year 80 — crucified and pierced with arrows on Mount Ararat (in Armenia), according to some sources under King Sanatruk. Alternative traditions about the place of his death also exist (Beirut, the land of the Blemmyes). He was married; according to Eusebius of Caesarea, two of his grandsons were interrogated by Emperor Domitian as members of David's royal line.

His feast is June 19/July 2; he is also commemorated in the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles.