A St. Jude novena is nine days of prayer asking the apostle St. Jude Thaddeus to intercede for a need that seems impossible. Catholics have turned to him for generations in illness, money troubles, family crises and every situation where hope runs thin. The most popular time is October 19 to 27, ending on the eve of his feast on October 28, but you can begin it on any day.
This novena walks with St. Jude through the Bible. Each day has a short passage of Scripture about Jude (or from the letter that bears his name), a reflection and a prayer, followed by the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be. It takes about ten minutes a day.
How to pray the St. Jude novena
- Make the Sign of the Cross and name your intention. Be concrete: the person, the illness, the debt, the decision.
- Read the Scripture for the day slowly, and the short reflection.
- Pray the prayer for the day.
- Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary and one Glory Be.
- End each day with the novena prayer to St. Jude below.
If you miss a day, do not start over; simply continue. A novena is a way of persevering in prayer, not a test you can fail.
The novena prayer to St. Jude (every day)
This prayer was written for this guide. Say it at the end of each day.
Saint Jude, apostle of Jesus Christ and friend of all who struggle,
you heard the Lord’s words at the Last Supper
and gave your life to make his love known.
I come to you today with a need that is too heavy for me:
(name your intention).
Pray for me, that God may grant what is good for my soul,
and give me patience, courage and peace while I wait.
I place my trust in the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
who never abandons those who call on him. Amen.
Saint Jude, pray for us.
Day 1: Called by name
Jesus spent a whole night in prayer before he chose his apostles, and Jude was among them.
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God.
And when day was come, he called unto him his disciples; and he chose twelve of them (whom also he named apostles).
Simon, whom he surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes,
And Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor.
Reflect: Jude was chosen after a night of prayer. Whatever you are facing, you are not forgotten; you too are known and called by name.
Lord Jesus, you prayed through the night and chose your friends one by one.
As you called Saint Jude, you have called me.
Help me to remember that I am known and loved by you,
even when my need seems invisible to everyone else. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 2: Mercy, peace and love
St. Jude opens his letter with a blessing for all who belong to Christ.
Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James: to them that are beloved in God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.
Mercy unto you, and peace, and charity be fulfilled.
Reflect: Jude calls himself a servant. Before he asks anything of his readers, he wishes them mercy, peace and charity. Ask today for those three gifts, for yourself and for the person you are praying for.
God of mercy, through the prayers of Saint Jude,
pour out your mercy, peace and love on me and on all I carry in my heart.
Keep us in your love, and let nothing separate us from you. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 3: Jude’s question at the Last Supper
The only words of St. Jude in the Gospels are a question he asked Jesus on the night before he died (“Judas, not the Iscariot,” John 14:22).
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them; he it is that loveth me. And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father: and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Judas saith to him, not the Iscariot: Lord, how is it, that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world?
Jesus answered, and said to him: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him.
Reflect: Jude wanted to understand how Jesus would show himself. Jesus answered that he and the Father will come and make their home with those who love him. Your prayer, too, can be an honest question.
Lord Jesus, like Saint Jude I do not always understand your ways.
Come and make your home in me.
Teach me to keep your word when I cannot see the answer,
and to trust that you are with me. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 4: Holding on to the faith
St. Jude wrote to encourage Christians to stand firm.
Dearly beloved, taking all care to write unto you concerning your common salvation, I was under a necessity to write unto you: to beseech you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.
Reflect: Jude had meant to write about the joy of salvation, but the needs of his people made him urge them to hold on to the faith. In a hard season, faithfulness is itself a victory.
Lord, when trouble shakes me, keep me faithful.
Through the prayers of Saint Jude, give me the strength
to hold on to what I believe and to the hope you have given me. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 5: Remembering the words of the apostles
But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who told you, that in the last time there should come mockers, walking according to their own desires in ungodlinesses.
These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the Spirit.
Reflect: Jude reminds his readers that the apostles had warned them: there would be mockery and division. Difficulties do not mean God has failed. Turn today to the words of Scripture you know by heart.
Lord, when others mock what I believe or doubt that you can help,
keep me close to the words of your apostles.
Give me a humble heart that listens to your Spirit. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 6: Praying in the Holy Spirit
But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.
Reflect: Jude gives four simple instructions: build on your faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourself in God’s love, and wait for his mercy. That is a whole program for the days of waiting.
Come, Holy Spirit, and pray in me when I do not know how to pray.
Build up my faith, keep me in the love of God,
and teach me to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 7: Mercy for those who waver
And some indeed reprove, being judged:
But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted garment which is carnal.
Reflect: Jude asks Christians to reach out to those who are wavering and to pull others “out of the fire.” Pray today for someone who has lost hope or lost faith, perhaps the very person you are praying for.
Lord Jesus, you came to seek and save the lost.
Through the prayers of Saint Jude, reach the people I love who are far from you,
and make me gentle and patient in helping them. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 8: Praying with Mary
After the Ascension, the apostles waited for the Holy Spirit in prayer with the Mother of Jesus. Jude (“Jude the brother of James”) was in that upper room.
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount that is called Olivet, which is nigh Jerusalem, within a sabbath day’s journey.
And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alpheus, and Simon Zelotes, and Jude the brother of James.
All these were persevering with one mind in prayer with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
Reflect: Jude prayed with Mary while he waited for the promise of the Father. Ask Mary to wait with you.
Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus, you prayed with Saint Jude and the apostles.
Pray with me now and present my need to your Son.
Teach me to wait with faith, as you did. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
Day 9: Glory to God who keeps us
St. Jude ends his letter with one of the most beautiful hymns of praise in the Bible.
Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin, and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.
Reflect: On the last day, give thanks before you see the answer. The God who is able to keep you from falling is able to carry this need too.
Glory to you, Lord God, who are able to keep me from falling.
I thank you for hearing my prayer during these nine days.
Whatever your answer, I trust in your goodness,
and with Saint Jude I give you glory, now and for ever. Amen.
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Then the novena prayer to St. Jude.
When to pray the St. Jude novena
| Novena | Begin | End |
|---|---|---|
| Before the feast of Saints Simon and Jude | October 19 | October 27 (the feast is October 28) |
| For any urgent need | Any day | Nine days later |
| Before Christmas or Easter | Nine days before | The eve of the feast |
The National Shrine of St. Jude in Chicago also holds solemn novenas several times a year, and many people join them from home.
Who is St. Jude?
St. Jude, also called Thaddeus, was one of the Twelve Apostles. Luke calls him “Jude the brother of James” (Luke 6:16), and he is traditionally identified with the author of the short Letter of Jude in the New Testament. He should not be confused with Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.
According to tradition, Jude preached the Gospel with St. Simon in Persia and was martyred there. The Church celebrates Saints Simon and Jude together on October 28. Devotion to Jude as the patron of difficult and desperate cases grew strongly in the twentieth century; read more in our St. Jude prayer guide.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start the St. Jude novena?
To finish on the eve of his feast, begin on October 19. For any other intention, begin whenever you need to.
Does the St. Jude novena always work?
A novena is not a formula that obliges God. It is persevering prayer, made with St. Jude’s help, to a Father who knows what we need. Many people have received what they asked; others have received peace, strength or an answer they did not expect. The Catechism warns against treating prayers as magic (Catechism 2111).
Do I have to publish my thanks to St. Jude?
No. Thanking St. Jude publicly is a long custom, and you are free to share your gratitude, but it is not a condition for being heard. Be wary of chain letters that promise results only if a prayer is copied or posted.
Can I pray the novena for someone else?
Yes. Many people pray it for a sick relative, a friend in trouble or a child who has lost faith.
Is there a shorter St. Jude prayer?
Yes. Use the short prayers in our St. Jude prayer guide, or simply say, “St. Jude, apostle of hope, pray for me.”
More novenas and prayers
- Catholic prayer for a miracle
- The St. Jude prayer
- Novenas: how to pray a novena
- St. Joseph novena
- Patron saints for every need
- Catholic prayer for strength
Texts and sources
- Scripture: Luke 6:12–16; Jude 1–3, 17–25; John 14:21–23; Acts 1:12–14, from the Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner revision), public domain; spacing before punctuation tidied.
- The daily prayers and the novena prayer were written for this page.
- Benedict XVI, General Audience on Saints Simon and Jude (October 11, 2006).
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2111 (superstition and prayer).