For the first time, the arm of St. Jude will leave Italy and tour churches, schools, prisons, and more across the United States beginning this month, a Catholic evangelization ministry announced this week. The relic of one of Jesus' 12 apostles, considered to be the patron saint of hopeless or difficult causes, is scheduled to first stop at St. John Cantius Church in Chicago on Sept. 9 and be on tour until May 2024.

Local news outlets and church organizers said thousands of visitors are expected during various stops along its nine-month tour.  In a press release on Monday, Treasures of the Church said the tour “offers a unique opportunity for devotees and the curious alike to experience a connection with one of the most venerated figures in Christian history,” Catholic News Agency reports.