Who Is Saint Jude Thaddeus?
St. Jude was reported to be a brother of St. James the Lesser, also one of the Twelve Apostles. These two together with two other brothers (one St. Simeon of Jerusalem) are described by St. Matthew (13:55) as the "brethren" of Jesus. In the Hebrew language, the word "brethren" indicates a near, family or blood relationship.
According to tradition, St. Jude's father, Cleophas (or Alphaeus of Cleophas), was murdered because of his forthright and outspoken devotion to the risen Christ. Mary of Cleophas, the mother of St. Jude and St. James the Less, was a cousin of the Virgin Mary. After her death, miracles were attributed to the intercession of Mary of Cleophas.
It was through St. Jude's efforts that Christians today have been blessed with the Image of Edessa which is a faithful representation of the face of Jesus Christ.
It is for this reason that St. Jude is usually pictured as carrying the image of Jesus in his hand. According to the tradition of the Early Church -- our primary source of history of the saint -- an imprint of the Divine Countenance was created by Jesus and entrusted to St. Jude in order to effect a cure of the Armenian King known as Abgar of Ouchama.
These famous events quickly elevated St. Jude's reputation for miracles and healing in the early Church commonly referred to as The Legend of King Abgar.
King Abgar V of Edessa, who was said to suffer from leprosy, sent word to Jesus asking Him to come and cure him. With his request, we are told, the King sent an artist to return with a picture of the Master. Impressed with his great faith, Our Lord is said to have pressed His image on a cloth and entrusted it to St. Jude to deliver to the King Abgar and to cure him thereby. The King was cured and together with most of his subjects was converted to Christianity.
The Image of Edessa entrusted to St. Jude for delivery to Abgar, called "The Mandylionis" -- and by tradition is said to be "Akheiropoietos," i.e. "not-made-by-human-hand". The Image of Edessa has been linked by history and legend to other famous images of Jesus Christ, including the Shroud of Tourin and the burial head shroud known as the "Holy Sudarium."
I have been to services at Armenian churches and also to one their beautiful and ritualistic funeral services. The Armenian Eastern Rite Mass is ancient in its language, symbolism and origins .... Armenians are incredibly spiritual people.