The Feast of the Holy Spouses

There are many feast days within the Catholic Church and in the universal Roman Missal that we are familiar with like the feast of Christ the King or the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. There are also many feasts and celebrations that have been celebrated for years but are lesser known, like the Feast of the Holy Spouses. 

The Feast of the Holy Spouses, sometimes referred to as the Feast of the Espousals of Mary and Joseph, is celebrated on January 23rd, and it’s roots date back to the early 15th century. This feast celebrates the marriage between Mary and Joseph and is celebrated by shrines dedicated to Saint Joseph, in a few dioceses, and by religious communities who are dedicated to Saint Joseph. 

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich and Venerable Mary of Agreda both had visions of the wedding of Mary and Joseph and experienced the great joy present the day Joseph wed Mary. In this Year of Saint Joseph, let us celebrate him as an individual and as the holy spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

Dust off your photo albums, pull out the wedding DVD and use this feast as an opportunity to talk about your marriage with your children! Begin with your wedding day, and then take a brief trip down memory lane, sharing memorable moments, areas of growth and all the ways you and your spouse have changed together over the years. 

Use the attached activity sheet to talk about the Sacrament of Matrimony with your children. Remind them that a man and woman enter a covenant of love on their wedding day and live that covenant out daily. 

Make it a point to pray for holy marriages this week! Following the example of Joseph and Mary, may our marriages reflect the trinitarian love of God and raise up holy families.