Saint Joseph

Saint Joseph, in the New Testament, husband of the Virgin Mary. Most of what is known about him is contained in the first two chapters of the books of Matthew and Luke. Several other passages mention him as the father of Jesus Christ, and a few refer to him as a carpenter or an artisan (see Matthew 13:55; Luke 3:23; John 1:45, 6:42). He was a descendant of the royal line of David, and his family was from David's town of Bethlehem.

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus settled in Nazareth. There, Christ grew up in Joseph's household for 12 years. Joseph's last appearance in the Gospels occurs when he and Mary find the 12-year-old Jesus in the Temple (see Luke 2:41-51). Because he had little influence on the tradition of the early church, it has been inferred that Joseph died before the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. Saint Joseph is venerated by both the Orthodox and Roman Catholics; he is regarded by the latter as the patron of the universal church. His feast day is March 19 in the West, and the first Sunday after Christmas in the East.