Create your own St. Joseph Day Tradition

The feast day of Saint Joseph has a strange history of changing dates according to the whims of Popes. Originally, it was a day declared in honor of Joseph, husband of Mary, mother of Jesus. As the story goes, it was a busy time of year when the couple set out on the journey to escape the mass killing of babies by King Herod. Joseph and Mary were turned away at the door of several inns until finally one offered shelter in the stable.

St. Joseph's Day is traditionally celebrated with acts of kindness, and is observed on March 19th, however, the Pope still allows the celebration to take place on another date if March 19th falls within Holy Week (the days surrounding Easter). Saint Joseph Day is celebrated in pockets around the world where there is a large Italian demographic. Originally a religious feast day, these celebrations have become community-wide events in those areas.

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The first time I experienced St. Joseph Day, it was during the months I spent in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana. In St. Bernard, the tradition was that an individual in the community sponsored the building of a large St. Joseph Day Altar - three tiers to hold food that is brought in over the days before the celebration. Traditions vary, but most often include giving food to those in need. In the year after Hurricane Katrina, the St. Bernard altar was built inside the 60-foot geodesic dome that was the community meeting place and dining hall. The images here are photos of photos that were given to me after that St. Joseph Day celebration. The offering I made to the altar was a print of my mixed media painting of Jesus. It was placed in the center of the altar and that is why the photos were given to me.

Three things you could do to create your own tradition for St. Joseph's Day:

• Give shelter to someone. Forget about giving a dollar, or ten dollars, to a homeless person. Instead, offer one person a place to shower and a meal, and maybe a place to sleep, if the comfort level to do that exists. Perhaps you think this dangerous, and there are many who won't accept such an offer from an individual. But do not forget the power of decision that is in your mind. Ask not the ego, but the voice of the higher self, or Holy Spirit, as it is called in A Course in Miracles
• Host a potluck in which friends bring extra meals. After you gather and have your meal, take the extra meals out and give them to random people.
• Find the location and times for your local Food Not Bombs or soup kitchen. Go there, not as a volunteer 1. Instead, stand in line with the others, receive the meal given you, and sit with the others there. Listen. Know we are one.

Tradition, in some places, also includes St. Joseph Day sandal pastry:
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Sandal pastry for St. Joseph's Day.

1. 1. unless you find that they are asking for volunteers when you arrive, then you do what is best in the moment
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