Why were the Ceylonese showing so much devotion to St. Jude?

As the patron saint of lost causes, St. Jude was the perfect saint for the starving Ceylonese. The Ceylonese were in desperate straits, facing a food shortage that the repressive government would not even admit was happening. Food riots were breaking out and the Ceylonese--not getting relief from their government--naturally turned to any outside help imaginable.