Feast of Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles and Martyrs (October 28)

Above: St. Jude Thaddeus, by Georges de la Tour, early 1600s

Apostles to Persia and Armenia

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The Assigned Readings for This Feast:

Deuteronomy 32:1-4

Psalm 119:89-96

Ephesians 2:13-22

John 17:17-27

The Collect:

O God, we thank you for the glorious company of the apostles, and especially on this day for Simon and Jude; and we pray that, as they were faithful and zealous in their mission, so we may with ardent devotion make known the love and mercy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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The New Testament contains little information about these two Apostles.

St. Simon the Zealot/Cananean had belonged to a political movement dedicated to expelling the Romans from Judea by force.  It is interesting that he was part of the same inner circle as St. Matthew/Levi, who had collected taxes for that empire.  This juxtaposition seems to indicate that Jesus drew a large proverbial circle when beginning his ministry.

St. Jude, a.k.a. Thaddeus a.k.a. “Judas (not Iscariot)” might have been a cousin of Jesus.  Canonical information on this point is vague and traditions are confusing.

Reliable tradition indicates that Sts. Simon and Jude worked together after the Ascension, introducing Christianity to Armenia and laying the foundations of the Armenian Apostolic Church, work which came to fruition about two and a half centuries after the time of these Apostles.  And the duo seems to have preached in Persia, also.

Traditions concerning the place of St. Simon’s martyrdom vary, but he seems to have died by sawing.  Also, traditions state that St. Jude met his martyrdom with St. Simon, either in Beirut or Persia, circa 65 C.E.  The symbol of his martyrdom is an ax.

Being an Apostle was not for the faint of heart.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

JUNE 13, 2010

THE THIRD SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST, YEAR C

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http://gatheredprayers.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/litany-from-a-novena-to-st-jude-the-apostle/

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