Saint Joseph
Feast day: March 19
Saint Joseph, the just carpenter, Jesus’ foster father, Patron of the Church (19/03)
Who is he?
Saint Joseph is the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus. He was descended from King David and worked as a carpenter in the village of Nazareth. God chose him to protect Mary and the Child Jesus. The Church celebrates him twice a year: on 19 March, and on 1 May as Saint Joseph the Worker.
Life story
Saint Joseph was engaged to Mary. When he learned that she was expecting a child, he did not want to shame her, so he planned to separate from her quietly. While he was thinking this over, an angel of the Lord spoke to him in a dream: do not be afraid to take Mary into your home, because the child she is carrying is from the power of the Holy Spirit. When he woke up, he did right away what the angel told him (cf. Mt 1:19-24).
He went with Mary to Bethlehem, and there Jesus was born in poverty. Soon after, King Herod wanted to kill the Child. The angel spoke to him again in a dream, and that very night he got up and took the Child and his Mother and fled to Egypt (cf. Mt 2:13-14). It was a long, hard journey to a foreign land.
When the danger had passed, the family went to live in Nazareth. Day after day, Joseph worked with his hands to support his family, caring for, raising and teaching Jesus. When Jesus was 12, Joseph and Mary searched anxiously for him for three days and found him in the Temple (cf. Lk 2:41-51).
The Gospels do not record a single word spoken by Saint Joseph; he spoke through his actions. The Bible also does not tell us when he died. In 1870, Pope Pius IX declared him Patron of the Universal Church.
Why is he a saint?
The Gospels do not tell of Saint Joseph working miracles or preaching to crowds. He became holy because he always listened to God, trusted him and obeyed right away, even when he didn’t understand everything. He loved and protected Mary and Jesus with his whole life. That is why the Church honors him as a gentle father who protects the Church, families and workers.
A lesson for you
- When your parents or teachers remind you to do something good, do it right away without putting it off, just as Saint Joseph obeyed God.
- Study hard and help with the housework: holiness is found right in everyday things.
- Each day, keep a little silence to listen to God, and ask Saint Joseph to protect your family.
Identifying marks
- A white lily: the flower of purity, a reminder that he was Mary’s pure and faithful husband.
- A carpenter’s square and tools: he worked as a carpenter in Nazareth, supporting the Holy Family with the work of his hands.
- A man with a black beard and a brown cloak: the gentle, simple look of a father.
- Holding the Child Jesus (*): he is the foster father who cared for and protected Jesus.
(*) Only in some pictures and statues.
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