St. Simon is surnamed the Canaanean and also the Zealot, to distinguish him from St. Peter and from St. Simeon, the brother of St. James the Less. The Syro-Chaldaic expression “Canaanean” means the same as the Greek Zelotes, a title that is said to have been given to him on account of his great zeal, but, according to others, from his belonging to a sect (among the Jews) called Zealots. It is supposed that he suffered martyrdom in Persia.St. Jude – Patron of Desperate – known as Thaddaeus, was a brother of St. James the Less, and a relative of our Savior. Ancient writers tell us that he preached the Gospel in Judea, Samaria, Idumea, Syria, Mesopotamia, and Libya. According to Eusebius, he returned to Jerusalem in the year 62, and assisted at the election of his brother, St. Simeon, as Bishop of Jerusalem.
Jude is the aouthor of an Epistle to the Churches of the East, particularly the Jewish converts, directed against the heresies of the Simonians, Nicolaites, and Gnostics. This Apostle is said to have suffered martyrdom in Armenia, which was then subject Persia. The final conversion of the Armenian nation to Christianity did not take place until the 3rd century of our era.
PRAYER: God, You made Your Name known to us through the Apostles. By the intercession of Sts. Simon and Jude, let Your Church continue to grow with an increased number of believers. Amen.