The Diocese of Scranton on Saturday celebrated one of two feast days honoring St. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. | Archdiocese of Detroit/Facebook

The Diocese of Scranton marked the feast day of St. Joseph, Jesus' earthly father, by calling upon him to look over us.

“Today is the Solemnity of Saint Joseph and the Final Day of our Saint Joseph Adoption Novena,” the diocese posted online. 

In its petition to the one-time carpenter who accepted the responsibility of fatherhood for a child he knew wasn’t his, the church asked: “Blessed Joseph, you took Mary and Jesus into your home. You followed the prescripts of the Law, presented Jesus in the Temple, taught him skills at the plane and the lathe, and, daily, you shared traditions which were built on the covenants he came to fulfill. Hear the prayers of the siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and entire families of children who have been adopted. May they be a source of loving welcome and a fount of faith. Through Christ our Lord. St. Joseph, descendant of David, pray for us.”

Joseph was engaged to Mary when she became pregnant with Jesus, catholic.org says. Since an adulterous woman could be stoned to death, he took it upon himself to send her away to safety. Before he did, an angel visited him and told him he should marry Mary as his wife because the child she carried was the son of God. Joseph trusted the angel and did as asked. 

Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, unborn children, fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants and happy deaths. His life is celebrated twice yearly, on the Solemnity of Joseph on March 19 and on the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1. 

Besides saving Mary from a stoning, Joseph also protected his infant son and wife from King Herod after an angel warned him in a dream that the king was planning a violent plot, Britannica says. Joseph took Mary and Jesus and fled to Egypt, where they waited until the danger had passed before returning to Nazareth. Joseph is not mentioned during the Gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion, leading scholars to believe that Joseph died before that time. 

“Novena” comes from the Latin word for “nine” and refers to saying a prayer for nine consecutive days with a specific intention in mind, according to Blessed Is She. The number of days could signify the nine months that Mary was pregnant with Jesus, or it could refer to when the Apostles and Mary prayer for the nine days between Jesus’s Ascension into Heaven and Pentecost.