Weekly Saint Report - #1

So, I said last week that I'd be posting my weekly saint report I have to do for school every Friday. Well, its Friday people so here is my first report. Enjoy!

St. Joseph of Nazareth

Saint Joseph was born in approximately 90 BC to Jewish parents in the line of King David. He was a carpenter by trade and a very holy man. 

Later in life he became betrothed to the young virgin Mary, who was also from the line of Kind David. Not long after the betrothal, Mary told Joseph that she was with child. Since they were not yet living in the same house, Joseph knew the child was not his. At that time, it was considered a grave sin if an unmarried woman was found pregnant. The punishment for this crime was to be taken outside of the city walls and stoned to death.

Joseph was a compassionate man, and not wanting Mary to be killed, he decided to quietly break off the engagement. Before he did however, the angel Gabriel visited him in a dream. He told Joseph of Mary’s miraculous conception and that the child in her womb was the son of God - the prophesied Messiah. The angel also told Joseph that he was to be Mary’s husband and protect and provide for her and the Son of God. The angel also said that the baby’s name was to be Jesus. Joseph followed the advice of the angel.

A few months laster, a census was ordered by Caesar Augustus, so every man had to return to his home town to register. Taking Mary, who was nine months pregnant with Jesus, Joseph traveled to Bethlehem to follow the order of the Emperor. While in Bethlehem, they could find no room at the inns and were forced to stay in a stable where Jesus was born. They were visited by shepherds who said that an angel had appeared to them proclaiming the birth of the Messiah. Likewise, Magi from the East came to visit the holy family, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the king.

While still in Bethlehem Joseph was visited by the archangel Gabriel again, who came to warn him; King Herod, after hearing of the birth of a new king, ordered the death of all Jewish male children age two and under to be murdered. He did this in jealousy to protect his throne. Heeding the angel’s advice once again, Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt where they lived in hiding for a few years.

After Herod’s death, Joseph returned to Nazareth with his family. During the rest of his life he provided for and took care of his young wife and Jesus in Nazareth, remaining a very holy and devout Jew. Finally, Joseph passed away quietly in their small home on July 20, AD.  

St. Joseph is the patron of the universal church. He is also the patron against doubt and hesitation, fighting communism, and a happy death. St. Joseph was never formally canonized until centuries after his death. Like most early saints, he was declared a saint by popular consensus by the early Christians. He was officially declared a saint in the 12th century.

Learn more about St. Joseph here.