Legend has it that St. Jude was born into a Jewish family in Paneas, a town in the Galilee region of ancient Palestine, the same area that Jesus grew up in. He probably spoke Greek and Aramaic, like many people in that area, and he was a farmer by trade. Jude was described by St. Matthew (13:55) as being one of the "brethren" of Jesus, probably meaning a cousin since the Hebrew word for "brethren" indicates a blood relationship. His mother, Mary, was referred to as a cousin of Jesus' mother Mary