Feast Of St Joseph The Worker
Feast of St. Joseph the Worker is a feast day observed on May 1st every year. This is one of two feast days on the liturgical calendar that honor St. Joseph—with the second one being the Feast of St. Joseph, the Husband of Mary, held on March 19th.
The holiday observed on this day not only honors Joseph for his participation in the creative work of God but also honors the dignity of work by everyone who engages in it. Saint Joseph is held up as the model of the dignity of work and establishes the relationship between his work ethic and the commitment to work as done by workers in the Catholic Faith.
The History of Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
This holiday was established by Pope Pius XII in 1955 and has been observed as a feast day ever since. This was approximately 85 years after Pope Pius IX had declared Saint Joseph to be the patron of the universal Church in 1870.
Facts About Saint Joseph
Let’s look at a few interesting facts about Saint Joseph before we proceed with the rest of this holiday article. We’ve rounded up the following facts that we think most people will find interesting:
- Symbols associated with St. Joseph include the lily and the carpenter’s square.
- He is the patron saint of the New World, several different cities and countries, and the patron saint of carpenters.
- Joseph is also the patron saint of the Universal Church, fathers, travelers, immigrants, and engineers.
- Joseph is a descendant of the line of David.
- The scriptures do not mention anything about the previous life of Joseph or his age.
Observing the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker
This holiday is observed in the Vatican and at churches around the world with special services that emphasize the important link between Saint Joseph, work, and Catholic charity. It is also a day when people pray the diocesan prayer and the Litany to St. Joseph in their homes.