Invoking help for impossible situations is what many people do here at San Judas. The veneration of Judas Thaddaeus in Mexico has grown since the mid-20th century. Mexico City is a center for this veneration. Specifically, San Hipólito Church near the historic city center. For centuries, it was the only church with space devoted to this saint.
Although officially dedicated to San Hipólito, it is the center of veneration for San Judas Tadeo. The image of San Judas Tadeo has been moved to the main altar. The church receives thousands of devotees, especially on the 28th of each month. October 28 is the saint’s feast day. San Judas is associated with difficult circumstances. More recently, he’s been associated with delinquents. The idea is that the saint hears the petitions of both the good and the bad. Mexico City, especially its poorer areas, is filled with street shrines to San Judas Tadeo.
San Judas Tadeo, commonly known as Saint Jude, was one of the Twelve Apostles. He was a relative of Jesus. After Christ’s death, he became an evangelizer. He was martyred with Simon the Zealot. They were decapitated with a hatchet. Depictions of San Judas include a medallion on the chest with Christ’s image. This represents evangelism. He also holds a staff and a hatchet. This is a reminder of his martyrdom.
He is considered a direct intercessor to Jesus Christ. He is appealed to in difficult and desperate situations. He is credited with many miracles. Petitions often include help with personal problems. Legal problems, work issues, and family matters are also common. He is also invoked to help find lost objects. Sometimes, the petition is simply that the situation does not get worse.
Devotion to San Judas Tadeo is widespread in Mexico City. It is especially common among the poor. They often refer to him by the familiar diminutive San Juditas. Devotees also include police, truck drivers, manual laborers, and some upper-class people. College students, politicians, businesspeople, and artists are among them. The popularity of this saint is growing, especially among young people. Images can be seen at secular events for youth, especially on the 28th of the month.
This saint has also become popular with drug abusers and delinquents. Some even petition the saint to get away with a crime. According to a director of the Archdiocese of Mexico, the association of the saint with criminals came from the illegal copying of his image. This reversed the hand holding the staff. As the left often symbolizes evil in Catholicism, folk belief has San Judas Tadeo as the saint of both the good and the bad. Sometimes the “good” can act worse than the “bad.” Devotees of the saint may also venerate Santa Muerte and Jesús Malverde.
However, unlike Santa Muerte and Jesús Malverde, veneration of San Judas Tadeo receives support from the Catholic Church. The archdiocese celebrates the saint’s day. They clarify that San Judas Tadeo is not a saint for delinquency or drug trafficking. Nor is he related to Santa Muerte. The Church considers these beliefs incompatible with doctrine.
San Hipólito Church is the most important center for the veneration of this saint. For three hundred years, it was the only church with a shrine to him. As San Judas Tadeo grew in popularity, his image in this church also became more important. The image was elevated to the main altar in 1982.
The church is one of few that allows mass participation by drug addicts and those who have had problems with the law. Located in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, most who visit this church are poor, marginalized, and young. They are generally between thirteen and twenty years of age. Most are also male. On the 28th of each month, masses are held in honor of this saint. This brings people to the church from all over the city. Most use public transportation. Some will walk the entire way to the church, starting the night before. Most attendees have images of the saint with them from their homes. Those with small children sometimes dress them as the saint. Many devotees also carry red and white roses. For this monthly event, police are assigned to the area around the church to redirect traffic.
October 28 is the saint’s feast day. The crowds in and around the church are much larger. Celebrations begin the night before when devotees begin to arrive. Police presence for this event numbers in the hundreds. On the feast day proper, the area around the church is one of the most crowded spots in the city. The church is surrounded by vendors year-round. They sell candles, rosaries, other religious objects, t-shirts, candies, and food. On the 28th of the month, vendors sell at least 2,000 figures of the saint to visitors.