Patron Saint of Desperate causes, desperate situations, lost causes Feast Day October 28 St. Jude was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of Our Saviour. He was one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus and his attribute is a club. Images of St. Jude often include a flame around his head, which represent his presence at Pentecost, when he accepted the Holy Spirit alongside the other apostles. Another attribute is St. Jude holding an image of Christ, in the Image of Edessa. Sometimes he can also be seen holding a carpenter's ruler or is depicted with a scroll or book, the Epistle of Jude. Roman Catholics invoke St. Jude when in desperate situations because his New Testament letter stresses that the faithful should persevere in the environment of harsh, difficult circumstances—just as their forefathers had done before them; therefore, he is the patron saint of desperate cases.