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By Michelle Schweickart

“If a person cannot find anyone to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint for his guide, and he will not lose his way.” — St. Teresa of Ávila referring to St. Joseph

Little is known about Joseph, as he only appears briefly in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke — never speaking a word in either one. Other resources on Joseph include the second-century apocryphal text the “Protevangelium of James” and the 14th-century Legenda aurea (The Golden Legend) by Jacobus de Voragine. The oldest reference to a cult of St. Joseph (Ioseph sponsus Mariae) connected with his feast day of March 19 appears in the north of France around the year 800. This devotion to Joseph as the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus increased from the ninth century to the 14th century, with the feast date being approved by Pope Sixtus IV in 1480 and made obligatory by Pope Gregory XV in 1621. The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph in part due to the date of his feast day and in part because it always falls within the season of Lent. It is celebrated as a solemnity, offering a rare respite from the rigors of Lent. Other names for the feast day are St. Joseph’s Day, the Feast of St. Joseph and the Solemnity of St. Joseph. In some Catholic countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy, it coincides with Father’s Day. 

St. Joseph in Early Church Art

In early church art, St. Joseph is usually depicted sitting apart from Mary and Jesus or accompanying them in travel; it is rare for him to be portrayed separately or among other saints in medieval art. He is treated almost as an afterthought, appearing because he was a part of the story — not because he was a significant person in his own right. He lived in the shadows of the more popular devotion to Mary and Jesus. According to a post about St. Joseph in art history on the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlotte’s website, “Some of the oldest extant images of Joseph can be seen among the icons of Saint Catherine’s Monastery in Egypt’s Sinai. In these images, dating from perhaps as early as the 7th century, Mary is central to the scene …. Saint Joseph is shown in what for centuries became his characteristic pose. He sits in the corner of the cave, chin in hand, pondering what James calls ‘Joseph’s Troubles’ — the awesome and terrible responsibility of the care and protection of God incarnate as a human child.” 

That started to change in the mid-16th century, due in part to the Catholic Reformation (1545–c. 1700), which influenced art and culture, with artists creating works that promoted Catholic orthodoxy and piety. One of his biggest advocates was St. Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582), a nun in the Carmelite order, who prayed to Joseph for his intercession in a time of severe illness. She adopted him as her patron saint and vowed to foster devotion to him far and wide when her prayers were answered. Her hope was for all of the faithful throughout the universal church, especially carpenters, laborers and common folk, to find in him a saint with whom they could easily identify. During this time, the depiction of St. Joseph in art shifted as he progressed from the background to the center of the activity as a devoted husband, father and craftsman.  

Symbolism of St. Joseph in Art

According to Brother Mickey McGrath, O.S.F.S., in his book Go to Joseph, “As a result of all this attention to Joseph the worker, statues and holy cards of him became commonplace in Catholic churches around the world.” He goes on to explain that the Church used art and iconography to convey the messages shared by the popes in their encyclicals and letters in a gentler and more approachable way, especially through depictions of St. Joseph as a husband, father and worker. It let the faithful know that they had an advocate in heaven.  

Symbols commonly associated with St. Joseph include: 

• A loaf of bread as a symbol of his role as provider for Mary and Jesus. 
• Carpenter’s tools such as a builder’s square, hammer, saw, axe, planer, and workbench as a symbol of his work and his role as a provider and teacher of Jesus.  
• A white lily or one to three white flowers as a symbol of his virtue, holiness, innocence, and obedience to God. It is also symbolic of his faithfulness and the purity of his marriage to Mary. 
• A flowering staff, which is related to the story of Mary and Joseph’s betrothal. As told in The Golden Legend, when Joseph is chosen as Mary’s betrothed, a dove descends on his staff just as a flower sprouts from it. This is symbolic of Aaron’s flowering staff showing that he had been chosen by God (Numbers 17:23). The flower is often depicted as a lily.  
• The child Jesus, often shown in Joseph’s arms. This symbolizes Joseph’s role as guardian, protector and father of Jesus. 
• A Star of David, symbolic of Joseph being a good and faithful Jewish man who observed the commandments and statutes of Mosaic law. 
• A pair of turtledoves, symbolic of when Joseph brought two doves for sacrifice during the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple. They also represent the material poverty of the Holy Family, as referenced in Leviticus 12:8, “And if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she shall be clean.”
• The letter “J,” the first letter of his name; it appears on its own or with other symbols that represent him. 
• The “water test” — commonly depicted in early and medieval Christian art; this imagery, which comes from the “Protevangelium of James,” depicts the local high priest making Mary and Joseph drink “the water of the Lord” to ascertain their honesty when he learns of Mary’s pregnancy. 
• Joseph’s youth and vitality — According to Fleur Dorrell in her essay “St. Joseph in Art: The Ultimate Multi-Tasker” on the blog The God Who Speaks, as of the 17th century, “Joseph is no longer portrayed as an old man with a beard, asleep or dreaming or in the background only as guardian and protector, but now painted as youthful, vigorous and very practical.” 

‘With a Father’s Heart’: A Reflection from Pope Francis   

As Pope Francis writes in his apostolic letter Patris Corde (With a Father’s Heart), “Each of us can discover in Joseph — the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence — an intercessor, a support and a guide in times of trouble. St. Joseph reminds us that those who appear hidden or in the shadows can play an incomparable role in the history of salvation.”

Throughout 2025, the Marian Library is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the “Mirror of Hope,” in which St. Joseph is depicted in several scenes as a nurturing and protective spouse and father. We hope you stop by!