St. Jude Thaddeus and St. Simon are two of the least known Apostles. St. Jude known as Jude Thaddeus is considered as a cousin of Jesus, since it is clear from the Scriptures that his father, Alpheus, was the brother of St. Joseph, while his mother, Mary Cleophas, was a cousin of the Virgin. As for Simon, there is no direct scriptural link identifying him as a relative of Jesus.
St. Simon, the apostle
The Gospel names St. Simon as the tenth apostle, just before Jude Thaddeus. Like many of the lesser-known apostles, most of Simon the Zealot’s life and identity remains a mystery. Simon is known as the Zealot or the Canaanite, as the evangelists Matthew and Mark call him. This means Simon was one of the people who was closest to Jesus, and that he spent about three years living with him, witnessing his miracles, and hearing his teachings. He saw numerous demonstrations of Jesus’ divinity. It is also believed that he crossed paths with Jude Thaddeus, who would be his companion in mission until the end.
Jude, the faithful disciple
When the Eleven dispersed from Jerusalem to proclaim the Kingdom of God in other lands, Jude Thaddeus departed from Galilee and Samaria to go into Syria, Armenia and ancient Persia. In this area, authoritative sources claim, he met Simon, and their missionary partnership won tens of thousands of Babylonians and people from other cities for Christ. As always, the Gospel earned for itself both followers and enemies: for the two Apostles, the hour of supreme witness eventually arrived. St. Jude is the Patron Saint of desperate situations.
Courageous Christians
Arrested and taken to the Temple of the Sun, the sentence imposed on both was to worship the goddess Diana, and so to deny Christ. In refusing, it is said that Jude Thaddeus declared pagan idols false, and that at the same time two horrible demons came out of the temple, destroying him. Frightened, the people watching the scene are said to have pounced ferociously on the two Apostles, who are brutally killed. Their relics are kept in the Basilica of Saint Peter.
