In the darkness of late October, the streets of south Chicago light up with prayer and song. The relic of Saint Jude is removed from its honored place in the National Shrine of St. Jude and carried by the priests as they process through the streets with hundreds of devotees following.
Every year, our National Shrine of St. Jude holds a novena to the patron saint of hopeless causes, St. Jude Thaddeus. This year, the novena will be held in honor of the Holy Souls, so it is a beautiful opportunity to remember and pray for our loved ones who have gone before us.
This novena, as its name suggests, consists of nine days of prayer and special Masses, starting October 20, 2026 and concluding on St. Jude’s Feast Day, October 28, 2026. During the nine days, anyone can submit their special intentions. You can do so via this form. All intentions receive a special blessing and are placed on the altar throughout the nine days.
In Chicago, this traditional celebration is known for the activities that take place around it, with the procession on St. Jude’s Feast day, October 28, 2026 being one of the most eagerly anticipated and especially beautiful. At the close of the novena, a pilgrimage exits the wooden doors of Our lady of Guadalupe church and travels with St Jude’s relic, filling the streets with devotion and prayers from a community who cherish and carry their own images of Saint Jude.
Throughout the novena, special Masses will be celebrated in both English and Spanish. This year, the English-language celebrations will be led by Father Daniel Dillard, and the Spanish-language celebrations by Father David Gutiérrez, CMF.
Join us in-person or online: October 20, 2026 to October 28, 2026.
- Services in English will be held Monday through Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 3:00 p.m.
- Services in Spanish will be held Monday through Saturday at 6:30 p.m. and on Sundays at 6:00 p.m.
- On October 27, at 6:30 p.m., a vigil and healing Mass will be held, followed by the sacrament of the annointing of the sick.
On October 28, the feast day of St. Jude Thaddeus, there will be other commemorations beginning very early in the morning and lasting into the evening:
- Traditional “Mañanitas” at 4:00 a.m. and the Mass and Blessing of Workers at 5:00 a.m
- In the afternoon, at 4:30 p.m., the Chaplet of St. Jude Thaddeus will be recited.
- The Mass in English will be at 5:00 p.m., followed by the traditional procession at 6:00 p.m. and the Mass in Spanish at 7:00 p.m.
Everyone is invited to participate in this celebration! After the afternoon Masses, attendees can enjoy a festival to celebrate this beautiful feast day together.
The National Shrine of St. Jude Thaddeus is located at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, 3200 E. 91st St., Chicago, IL 60617. To join virtually, visit: https://shrineofstjude.org/the-shrine/celebrate-a-st-jude-novena/
