{"id":"st-joseph","name":"St. Joseph","title":"Foster Father of Jesus, The Just Man","knownFor":"Silent Guardian of the Holy Family, Patron of Workers","feastDay":"March 19, May 1","lifespan":"1st Century BC/AD","patronOf":"Universal Church, Fathers, Workers, Happy Death","shortBio":"The husband of Mary and foster father of Jesus, known for his silent obedience to God's will. A carpenter by trade, he protected and provided for the Holy Family with unwavering faith.","fullBio":"St. Joseph, descendant of King David, was a humble carpenter in Nazareth who was betrothed to the Virgin Mary. When he discovered Mary was pregnant, being a just man, he planned to divorce her quietly rather than expose her to shame. An angel appeared to him in a dream, revealing that the child was conceived by the Holy Spirit and commanding him to take Mary as his wife.\n\nJoseph's life was marked by perfect obedience to God's will through angelic messages in dreams. He led the pregnant Mary to Bethlehem for the census, witnessed Jesus' birth in humble circumstances, and fled with his family to Egypt when warned of Herod's murderous intent. After Herod's death, he returned to Nazareth where he raised Jesus, teaching him his trade and instructing him in the faith.\n\nThough no words of Joseph are recorded in Scripture, his actions speak volumes about his character. He was a man of profound faith who embraced his role as protector and provider for the Son of God. His virtues of humility, obedience, and silent service make him a model for all Christians, especially fathers and workers.\n\nJoseph is believed to have died before Jesus began his public ministry, having the privilege of dying in the presence of Jesus and Mary - hence his patronage of a happy death.","miracles":["Received divine revelations through angelic dreams","Protected the Holy Family through divine guidance","His intercession is considered extraordinarily powerful","Saints Teresa of Ávila and Padre Pio attested to efficacy of prayers to him","Countless answered prayers through his intercession"],"imageUrl":"https://page.gensparksite.com/v1/base64_upload/5788b1c4e024c7086c233cea8ec1823c","imageAttribution":"Saint Joseph the Carpenter by Georges de La Tour (1642). Louvre Museum, Paris, France. Oil on canvas","orderByDate":50}