Holy Righteous Joseph, King David and James the Brother of the Lord

Life

They are celebrated on the Sunday after the Nativity of Christ. About King David, the son of Jesse, all can be learned from the books of Kingdoms. (About Saint James see October 23). The Gospel calls righteous Joseph "a just man" (Matt. 1:19). Therefore the Most Holy Virgin was given to him by God for protection and Joseph was accorded great honor in the economy of human salvation. Although Joseph was of the royal line of David, nevertheless Joseph was a humble carpenter in Nazareth. In his eightieth year Joseph took the Most Holy Virgin from the temple in Jerusalem into his home, and in his one hundred tenth year Joseph reposed.