About St Joseph

Husband of Virgin Mary
Adoptive Father of Jesus
Patron Saint

Important Dates

There are two separate memorial days celebrated in honor of Saint Joseph; March 19th for Joseph, the husband of Mary and May 1st for Joseph, the Worker.

Profile of Saint Joseph

The main sources about Joseph come from the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke. Joseph was betrothed to Mary at the time that she conceived Jesus; and therefore they were already legally husband and wife then, although they were not yet permitted to live together. In the Gospel according to Matthew he is called a "just man" (Matthew 1:19), which is an Old Testament term denoting someone who is doing God's will (e.g. Genesis 6:9). This praise bestowed by the Holy Ghost, and the privilege of having been chosen by God to be the foster-father of Jesus and the Spouse of the Virgin Mother, are the foundations of the honor paid to St. Joseph by the Church. Joseph was by trade a skilled craftsman; and in art he is portrayed as a carpenter.

Patronage

Within the Roman Catholic tradition, Joseph is the patron saint of various things and places. Pope Pius IX proclaimed him the patron of the Universal Church on December 8, 1870. Joseph is the patron against doubt and hesitation, as well as the patron saint of fighting communism, and of a happy death. In that tradition, Joseph is the patron saint of the New World.

Roman Catholics also believe he prays especially for families, fathers, expectant mothers (pregnant women), travellers, immigrants, house sellers and buyers, craftsmen, engineers and working people in general.

Saint Joseph has a long list of patronage, including:

against doubt, against hesitation, cabinatemakers, carpenters, civil engineers, confectioners, craftsmen, dying people, expectant mothers, families, fathers, happy death, holy death, house hunters, immigrants, interior souls, married people, people in doubt, pioneers, pregnant women, social justice, wheelwrights, workers, working people.