St. Jude Coloring Page
This St. Jude coloring page shows the apostle in a long robe and cloak with a small flame above his head, a medallion with the face of Jesus on his chest, a book and a staff. The PDF is free to print. Jude was one of Jesus' twelve apostles and is the patron of hope.
The story of St. Jude
Jude was one of the twelve apostles, the special friends Jesus chose to follow Him everywhere. Jude was with Jesus when He healed the sick, fed the hungry crowds and taught the people about God's love. Tradition says Jude was also a relative of Jesus, maybe a cousin.
Jude speaks only once in the Gospels. At the Last Supper, Jesus said He would show Himself to those who love Him. Jude asked, "Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered that He and the Father would come and make their home with anyone who loves Him. What a beautiful promise!
Another apostle was named Judas too: Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus. So the Gospel of John is careful to say "Judas, not Iscariot," and many people call our saint "Jude" or "Thaddeus" to keep the two apart. People tell that, because of the name, Christians long forgot to pray to St. Jude, so he was happy to help anyone who came to him, even when things seemed hopeless.
After Jesus rose and went up to heaven, the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles like tongues of fire. Then Jude went out to tell the world about Jesus. An old story says he carried a cloth with Jesus' face on it to a sick king named Abgar, who was healed. Tradition holds that Jude preached in faraway lands and gave his life for Jesus. Today St. Jude is the saint we ask to pray for us when things look impossible.
What to color
- The flame: orange and yellow. It is the fire of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
- The medallion: gold, with the face of Jesus. Jude carried the Good News of Jesus wherever he went.
- His robe: green, the color of hope. He is the patron saint of hopeless causes.
- His cloak: red, brown or blue.
- The book: brown or red. It is the short Letter of Jude in the Bible.
- The staff: brown wood, for a traveler who walked many miles to preach.
A prayer to pray together
The simplest prayer is the one printed around the edge of the St. Jude medal:
St. Jude, pray for us.
Children can add their own hope, like "St. Jude, please pray for Grandma to get better." Grown-ups can find the traditional prayer to St. Jude.
Ideas for families and classrooms
- Color this page for his feast day, October 28, which he shares with St. Simon.
- Make a family "hope jar": write down worries on slips of paper and pray for them with St. Jude.
- Read Jude's question to Jesus in John 14:22–23 and talk about Jesus' answer.
- Talk about it: have you ever felt that something was hopeless? Who could you pray for who feels that way now?
- Learn about the patron saints of lost causes.
Read the full story: St. Jude Thaddeus in the encyclopedia.
Frequently asked questions
What colors should I use for St. Jude?
Most statues give St. Jude a green robe, the color of hope, with a white or cream tunic. The flame is orange and yellow, and the medallion is gold.
Why does St. Jude have a flame over his head?
It is the tongue of fire from Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came down on the apostles (Acts 2:3).
Why does St. Jude wear a picture of Jesus?
An old story says that Jude, also called Thaddeus, carried a cloth with the face of Jesus to a sick king named Abgar, and the king was healed. The medallion remembers that story.
Is this coloring page free for classrooms?
Yes. Print it free for home, school, CCD or parish use.