Since the early 1980s, the church of San Antonio Abad, canonical seat of the Hermandad del Silencio, houses an image of Saint Jude Thaddeus that has become a benchmark of popular piety in Seville. Every day, dozens of faithful approach the atrium of the temple to pray before this carving, acquired in Madrid by a devotee who attributed a healing to his intercession. The image, made of plaster and depicted with the axe of his martyrdom, initially did not find a fixed place: attempts were made to place it in the Convent of Santo Ángel and then in El Salvador, but it was finally the Hermandad del Silencio, due to the donor’s family ties, that offered it a space in San Antonio Abad.
A Rootedness That Grows Over the Years
At first, the image was inside the temple, but it was soon moved to the atrium so that devotees could pray to it for more hours. The fame of Saint Jude Thaddeus as an intercessor in difficult causes quickly spread throughout Seville and its province, leading the brotherhood to install a structure for depositing candles and flower bouquets that are placed daily under his niche. There is no time of day when someone is not seen imploring his help, and this fervor also translates into an economic benefit for the corporation of the Madrugada: according to nearby sources, monthly income from the sale of candles and the collection box of Saint Jude amounts to several thousand euros.
In his 40 years of presence in Seville, Saint Jude has surpassed in popularity other traditional devotions, such as that of Saint Pacracio on Águilas Street, known for his parsley branch. His ability to “resolve” requests has consolidated his place in the hearts of Sevillians, who consider him a saint “with Sevillian DNA” despite his Madrid origin.
An Unconditional Devotee and a Miracle
Among his many followers, Ana Martín, mother of singer Isabel Pantoja, stood out; she had the promise to visit him every Friday of the year, even on Good Friday, after the brotherhood closed the temple following its penance station. Ana Martín used to ask for her son-in-law, the bullfighter Paquirri, and her fidelity became a testimony of the trust placed in this saint.
Last Saturday, a fire affected the church of San Antonio Abad, and the image of Saint Jude Thaddeus miraculously remained unharmed. The brotherhood’s secretary, Manuel Ángel Calvo, described the event as “a true miracle,” attributing it to the intercession of Jesús Nazareno and María Santísima de la Concepción, titulars of the corporation. This event has further magnified the saint’s reputation as a miracle worker, who prepares to celebrate his feast day next Monday, October 28, although it is still unknown if he will be restored to worship by then.
Meanwhile, the faithful hope that, once restored, the image will return to its niche to continue interceding for those who come to Alfonso XII Street in search of work or solutions to problems that seem impossible, like Saint Jude himself, who has survived the fire.
Original source: www.diariodesevilla.es (published on October 26, 2024)
Photo: Jose Manuel Esp on Unsplash
