36
edits
Changes
no edit summary
'''St. Joseph the Betrothed''', also referred to as '''Joseph of Nazareth''', was the foster-father of [[Jesus Christ]], according to the [[New Testament]] ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 1:16; [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] 3:23). Not much is known of Joseph except that he was "of the House of David" and lived in the town of Nazareth. His date of death is unknown, though he was still living when Jesus was 12 years old.
He was betrothed to the [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]] at the time that Mary conceived Jesus. Luke says that he lived at Nazareth in Galilee (Luke 2:4); however, according to Matthew, it was only after the return from Egypt that he settled in [[Nazareth]] (Matthew 2:23). He is called a "just man". He was by trade a carpenter (Matthew 13:55). He is last mentioned in connection with the journey to Jerusalem, when Jesus was twelve years old. It is probable that Joseph died before Jesus entered on his public ministry because only Mary was present at the marriage feast in Cana of [[Galilee]], and he is not described at the [[crucifixion]] along with Mary ([[Gospel of John|John]] 19:25). In addition [[Joseph of Arimathea]] asked for the body of Jesus, a duty that would have fallen to Saint Joseph had he been alive.