One of St. Joseph’s greatest attributes was his magnificent heart full of faith and love. It allows him the strength and encouragement to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by God, never losing sight of his path even amid dark and difficult times.  

St. Joseph is a father who teaches and cares for us, just as he did with Mary and Jesus.  

In this work, I aimed to portray a young, strong Saint Joseph, full of life and aspirations, capable of love and work. The focus is on his gaze and hands, rich in symbolism.  

With eyes full of love, Saint Joseph always keeps his gaze on God. With the wisdom of faith, he knows he loves him, believes with complete confidence, and is ready to give everything he is and make life what God asks of him, to be the husband, support, and aid of Mary, the father of Jesus, the Son of God on earth.    

He is a master of faith, navigating the chiaroscuro of faith, often not seeing clearly but thinking, waiting, trusting. He willingly lets himself be guided by God’s will, gradually revealed to him. He puts forth everything on his part, all that he is and has.

He delicately holds a lamp in his left hand, symbolizing the light that illuminates his path and the inner light of his faith. With this lantern, Saint Joseph guides us to believe, always to have faith, to trust, just as he did, knowing that God would always help him fulfill his mission in times of joys and difficulties, moments of clarity, and times of confusion and fear, such as the persecution of Herod and the uncertainty of having to flee to another country to protect Jesus.  

His strength was in trust. Hence, he extends his hand with the light of faith toward us, offering it, sharing it, as the master of faith that he is. In his right hand, Saint Joseph firmly holds a lily, a symbol of Mary’s purity, which he cared for throughout his life in every sense, always affectionate and making her as happy as possible so she could fulfill her mission as the mother of God.  

The flower symbolizes the strength of the father who raised Jesus, teaching him to work well, love his mother, help his neighbors, study, and understand the Scriptures where God reveals Himself. With his protection and affection, Jesus and Mary flourished.  

This flower reminds us that Saint Joseph is the patron of families. His role as the guardian and protector of the Holy Family—comprised of Jesus and the Virgin Mary—has led to the recognition of Saint Joseph as a powerful intercessor for families.  

We pray to Saint Joseph from Magdala to intercede for women and families worldwide.  

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San José (Saint Joseph) prepared by Mexican Artist Nathalia Orozco is a unique work of art as the image of Saint Joseph is on the technique of oil on onyx stone

This beautiful image adorns the St. Joseph chapel in Magdala and is a perfect gift to commemorate the “150^thAnniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church” from Dec. 8 – 2020 – 2021.

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About the Author:

Nathalia Orozco was born in Mexico City; the creative aspect has been an essential part of her life; her talent for drawing and painting showed since a child has always been valued and promoted. Since then, she has found in the artistic expression her vocation and path.