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St Joseph’s Day 2019: What is the feast day and how is it celebrated?

The religious occasion falls on the same day every year

Sabrina Barr
Tuesday 19 March 2019 12:06 GMT
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Pope Francis holds his weekly audience in St Peter's Square on Vatican City, Vatican on Saint Joseph's Day 2014
Pope Francis holds his weekly audience in St Peter's Square on Vatican City, Vatican on Saint Joseph's Day 2014

St Joseph's Day, otherwise known as the Feast of Saint Joseph, is observed by Christians in commemoration of Saint Joseph.

Taking place during the period of Lent, the feast typically falls two days after the Irish holiday of St Patrick's Day.

Here's everything you need to know about St Joseph's Day:

When is it?

St Joseph's Day falls on 19 March.

In contrast to other Christian observances such as Lent and Easter, St Joseph's Day is not a moveable feast.

By the 10th century, 19 March had been selected as the chosen day to commemorate Saint Joseph in several western calendars.

In 1479, St Joseph's Day was accepted as an annual celebration in Rome, and was added to the General Roman Calendar as an annual fixture in 1621.

What does St Joseph's Day commemorate?

St Joseph's Day is a Christian feast day which honours Saint Joseph.

Saint Joseph was the husband of the Virgin Mary, and legal father of Jesus Christ, as outlined in the Bible.

He's regarded as the patron saint of several regions across the globe, including Austria, Croatia and Vietnam, as well as being the patron saint of workers.

In some Catholic countries, such as Italy and Spain, St Joseph's Day falls on the same day as Father's Day.

In Poland and Canada, the religious occasion is observed as a Patronal Feast day.

St Joseph's Day is predominantly celebrated by the Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican Christian communities.

How is St Joseph's Day observed?

St Joseph's Day bears especial importance in Sicily, as it's believed he prevented a famine in the Italian city during the Middle Ages.

Sicilians celebrate St Joseph's Day with a special altar, where they place foods, flowers and objects to express their gratitude to the saint.

As St Joseph's Day falls during Lent, a period of abstinence, the foods placed on the altar are typically meatless.

It's tradition for those who observe St Joseph's Day to wear red in celebration, a contrast to the plethora of green that appears during St Patrick's Day two days prior.

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The feast day is also particularly popular in New Orleans, USA, due to the great numbers of Sicilian immigrants who moved there during the 19th century.

Parades are held in the city in the saint's honour, in a similar fashion to the Mardi Gras and St Patrick's Day carnivals.

In the Eastern Orthodox church, a hymn is chanted during St Joseph's Day in honour of the saint.

"Verily, Joseph the betrothed, saw clearly in his old age that the foresayings of the Prophets had been fulfilled openly; for he was given an odd earnest, receiving inspiration from the angels, who cried, Glory to God; for he hath bestowed peace on earth," the hymn states.

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