Patron Saint of Fathers

Category: Family & States of Life

St. Joseph, the foster father of Jesus Christ, holds the most prominent place as patron of fathers in the Catholic Church. His patronage was given a universal scope by Pope Pius IX, who in 1870 declared him Patron of the Universal Church. His feast day is March 19, and in many places a secondary commemoration is made on May 1 (St. Joseph the Worker) as patron of workers and laborers.

St. Joseph is invoked not only by fathers but also by workers, carpenters, the dying (he is thought to have died in the presence of Jesus and Mary), immigrants, and the Universal Church itself.

Patron Saints of Fathers

Formally proclaimed patronage — sourced from canonized saints in the Roman Calendar.

Primary Patron
Saint Joseph

Feast Day
March 19

Saint Joseph is invoked as patron of fathers. Joseph of Nazareth, descendant of David through Solomon according to Saint Matthew and through Nathan according to Saint Luke, was the husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the foster father of Jesus Christ. The Gospels record him as a just man (Matthew 1:19) and identify his trade as that of a tekton, generally translated as carpenter or builder (Matthew 13:55).Saint Matthew records that on learning of Mary's pregnancy he resolved to put her away quietly, but was instructed in a dream by an angel to take her as his wife and name the child Jesus. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_15081889_quamquam-pluries.html.

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Saint Joseph the Worker

Feast Day
May 1

Saint Joseph the Worker is invoked as patron of fathers. Saint Joseph, husband of the Virgin Mary and foster-father of Jesus Christ, is honored by the Church under multiple titles. The Optional Memorial of Saint Joseph the Worker on May 1 was instituted by Pope Pius XII on May 1, 1955, in his address to the Christian Associations of Italian Workers (ACLI), in order to sanctify human labor and to set the Christian witness of work in counterpoint to the secular International Workers' Day.The Gospels describe Joseph as a craftsman or carpenter (Greek tekton, Matthew 13:55), a just man (Matthew 1:19) of the house and lineage of David. Sources: https://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xii/en/speeches/1955/documents/hf_p-xii_spe_19550501_san-giuseppe.html.

Read full biography of Saint Joseph the Worker →

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the patron saint of fathers?

Saint Joseph is the primary patron saint of fathers. Their feast day is March 19.

What is a patron saint?

A patron saint is a holy man or woman canonized by the Church whose life and heavenly intercession are considered especially powerful for particular needs, groups, or situations. Catholics ask patron saints to intercede — to pray to God on their behalf — drawing on the doctrine of the Communion of Saints.

How do I ask for Joseph's intercession?

To ask for a patron saint's intercession, Catholics typically pray directly to the saint, saying something like: "Joseph, pray for us." You may also light a candle, attend Mass on their feast day, or make a novena — nine days of consecutive prayer — asking for their help before a particular need.