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But We have also another design in which you will co-operate diligently with Us, as, Vene rable Brethren, you are accustomed to do. In order that God may show himself more placable to our prayers and may, intercessors being more numerous, help the Church more quickly and abundantly, We think it to be very expedient that the Christian people should accustom themselves to implore, together with the Virgin Mother of God, her most chaste Spouse, St. Joseph, with special piety and with confident mind; which We judge irom undoubted reasons to be the wish of the Virgin herself and pleasing to her.

On this subject, concerning which We now intend to say something for the first time publicly, We know that not only is popular devotion inclined thereto, but advancing forward as if the course had already been prepared; for we have seen the cultus of Joseph, which also in former ages the Roman Pontiffs had devoted themselves to developing gradually to a greater extent and to propagating far and wide, finally increase at the present time everywhere. and that by undoubted growth, especially after Pius IX., of happy memory, Our predecessor, declared the most holy Patriarch, at the request of very many Bishops, Patron of the Catholic Church.

Nevertheless, since it is of so great importance that veneration for him should become thoroughly rooted in Catholic manners and institutions, therefore We wish the Christian people to be particularly moved by Our voice and authority.

Why St. Joseph should be particularly named the Patron of the Church, and why the Church in turn should promise herself great advantages from his protection and patronage, the special cause and reason are these, that he was the speuse of Mary, and the father, as it was reputed, of Jesus Christ. Hence arise all his dignity, sanctity and glory, Cer-

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tainly the dignity of the Mother of God is so exalted that nothing can be created greater, because the marriage bond united Joseph with the Most Blessed Virgin, it is not doubtful but that he approached nearer than any person to that most excelling dignity, by which the Mother of God so far surpasses all created natures, For marriage is a society and union the gieatest of all, which has by its very nature a community of goods of one with the other. Wherefore, if God gave Joseph as spouse to the Virgin, He furthermore gave her not only the companion of her life, a witness of her Virginity, a guardian of her honor, but also a participator in her exalted dignity, by virtue of the conjugal bond itself. Similarly Joseph is alone distinguished among all

by the most august diguity inasmueh as he was by

divine decree guardian of the Son of God, reputed

as His lather in the opinon of men. From which

circumstaace, there was the consequence that the

Word of God was modestly submissive to Joseph,

was obedient to his command, and rendered him all

the honor which children are bound to render to their parents.

Now from this twofold dignity the duties natural-

ly followed which nature has prescribed for fathers of families, so that he was the lawful and natural guardian, administrator and defender of the Divine house which he governed. He, in fact, exercised these duties and functions as long as his mortal life lasted. He devoted himself to protect his spouse and the Divine Child with the greatest love and with daily assiduity. He was accustomed to provide by his own labor the things necessary to both for their support and clothing. He warded off danger to His lite, threatened by the jealousy of a king, by providing an escape toa safe shelter. In the hardships of travel and the bitterness of evil he ever stood forth as the companion, helper and consoler of

But, however,

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the Virgin and of Jesus.

Now the Divine house which Joseph ruled as if with paternal authority, contained the beginnings of the rising Church. The Most Holy Virgin, as she is the Mother ot Jesus Christ so is the mother of all Christians, inasmuch as she bore them on Mount Calvary amid the supreme torments of the Redeemer. Moreover, Jesus Christ is, as it were, the firstborn of Christians, who are His brothers by adoption and redemption.

From these facts springs the reason wherefor the most blessed Patriarch regards, as being entrusted to himself in a certain pecuilar manner, the multitude of Christians of which the Church is compsed, namely, that innumerable family scattered through all lands, over which, because he is spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus Christ he exercises an authority in some sort paternal. — lt is, therefore, natural and signally worthy of St Joseph, that, as he formerly was accustomed to defend most sacredly the familly of Nazareth, and relieved all its wants, so now heshould protect and defend the Church of Christ with his heavenly patronage.

Indeed, you easily comprehend, Venerable Brethren, that these things are confirmed from this, that the opinion has prevailed with not a few Fathers of the Church, the sacred liturgy itself there to agreeing that the Joseph of old, son of the patriarch Jacob, typified the person and offices of the new Joseph, and also, by his excellence, foreshadowed the greatness of the future guardian of the Divine Family.

ind, indeed, besides that the s»me name was given to each, and that name is not «void of significance,

to you are perfectly well known oth vident similitudes between them; this one esp: hat the first Josech obtained fron his master r and

singular good will, and when he was placed by «the same over his household, prosperity and riches

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flowed abundantly into the master’s house, thanks to Joseph. Then this other important one, that by order of the King he was placed over the whole kingdom with supreme power; at the time. more over, in which a failure of provisions, he provided for the well-being of Egypt and the neighboring countries with such excellent foresight that the king decreed he should be called the Savior of the world,

For this reason it is lawful to recognize in the old patriarch the figure of the new. Just as the one brought prosperity and profit to the domestic interests of his master, and afterward ruled with wonderful success over all the kingdom, so the second, destined for the guardianships of the Christian name, must be supposed to delend and protect the Church, which is the house of the Lord and the kingdom of God upon the earth,

This is, in truth, reason why all, of whatever condition and place, should commend and confide themselves to the faith and protection of St. Joseph,

Father of famillies have in Joseph a most illustri ous example of paternal vigilance and prudence husbands and wiles have a perfect instance of love, concord, and conjugal fidelity : virgins have at the same time in him the exemplar and protector of virginal integrity. Let those who spring {rom noble ancestors, placing the image of Joseph before themselves, learn to preserve their dignity even in evil fortune ; let the rich uuderstand what kind of goods they ought most to seek after and acquire with all their strength,

But the proletarians, the workingmen, whoever are in humbler condition, ought, by a certain motive app! ying to them specially, to fly to St. Joseph and acquire from him that which they should imitate. For he, of royal blood, united in marriage to the greatest and holiest of all women, father as he was regarded, of the Son of God, yet passed his life in

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labor, and sought by the work of his hands and by his trade to provide whatever was necessary for the support of his family. ;

'T'he condition of the humble, therefore if it is truly examined into, is not abject; and not only is it free from dishonor, but all labor of workingmen can be immensely ennobled when virtue is united with it. Joseph, content with his own, and that little, bore the hardships necessarily united whith that humble condition of life with serene and lofty mind, after the example of his Son, who, having accepted the form of a slave, although [le is Lord of all, endured the greatest want and poverty by His own will. By meditating on these things the poor and all who support lile by the wages ot their labor ought to raise their eourage and think justly ; whileit is allowed them to rise from poverty and acquire a better position, justice not opposing, however, neither reason nor equity permits them to subvert the order appointed by the Providence of God. Still more to descend to violence and attempt any thing of this kind by sedition and revolt, is a foolish plan, generally rendering those very evils heavier for the relief from which it is undertaken. Let not the poor, therefore, trust to the promises of seditious men, if they are wise, but to the examples and patronage of St. Joseph and to the maternal charity of the Church, which, indeed, takes each day greater care of their condition.

Therefore, having promised very much to Ourselves, Vanerable Brethren, from your authority and episcopal zeal ; nor indeed doubting that the good and pious will do more and greater things spontaneously and voluntarily than those which are ordered, We decree that during the whole of October, at the recitation of the Rosary, conc rning which we have formerly ordained, a prayer to St. Joseph be added, the formula of which will be transmitted to you

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with this letter, and that the same be observed perpetually every year.

To those who piously recite the prayer above mentioned, We grant an indulgence sever»!!v of seven years and the same number of quarontie: for each time.

To consecrate the month of March io the honor of of the holy Patriarch by a daily exercise of piety, as has been now established in some places is indeed salutary and most laudable. Where this cannot be easily established, it is at least to be wished that before his festival a triduum of prayers be celebrated in the principal church of the city.

In those places in which the 19th of March, consecrated to St. Joseph, is not comprended in the number of festivals of precept, We exhort all not to refuse to spend that day holily, in private devotion, as far as possible, in honor of the heavenly Patron just as if it were of precept.

Meanwhile as omen of the heavenly gifts, and as testimony of Our benevolence, We bestow very lovingly in the Lord on you, Venerable Brethren, and on your Clergy and people, the Apostolic Benediction,

Given at Rome, near St. Peter’s, on the XV day of August, MDCCCLXXXIX., of Our Pontificate the T welfth.

LEO PP. XIII