Saint Joseph

Christian saint; husband of Mary and father of Jesus

Joseph (Hebrew: יוסף, romanized: Yosef; Greek: Ἰωσήφ, romanizedIoséph) is a figure in the Gospels, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus and the step father of Jesus. In Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Anglican Christian traditions, he is regarded as Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph
Saint Joseph with the Infant Jesus by Guido Reni, c. 1635
Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Legal father of Jesus
Prince and Patron of the Universal Church
Venerated inAll Christian denominations which venerate saints
Feast19 March – Saint Joseph, Husband of Mary (Western Christianity)

1 May – Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker (Catholic Church)

The third Wednesday after Easter Sunday - The Solemnity of Saint Joseph, spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary and patron of the Universal Church (Roman Catholic Church),

The Sunday after the Nativity of the Lord (Eastern Christianity)
AttributesCarpenter's square or tools, the infant Jesus, staff with lily blossoms, two turtle doves, rod of spikenard.
PatronageCatholic Church, unborn children, fathers, immigrants, workers, employment, explorer, pilgrims, traveller, carpenters, realtors, against doubt and hesitation, and of a happy death, Belgium, From the State of Ceará and the city of Macapá in Brazil, Canada, Croatia, Korea, Indonesia, Zapotlan in Mexico, Vietnam, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, Mandaue City, Cebu, Philippines, and many others.

In the Bible

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The Gospel of Luke says that the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she would give birth to a Son and she should call him Jesus and that he would save people from their sins.

When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, he decided to privately break the engagement. But then he had a dream. An angel told him that the baby was the Son of God.

At this time, the Roman Emperor, Caesar Augustus, made a law that everyone in the Roman Empire must pay tax. Everyone had to go back to the town that their family came from, to have their name put on the tax lists. Joseph came from Bethlehem, which was called "The City of David". Joseph took Mary to Bethlehem and she gave birth to the baby, Jesus, in a stable, because there was no room for them in the inn.