If your house is for sale, consider using a St. Joseph statue to sell the house. This is a tradition that began in the 16th century. In order to better understand the significance of this ritual, it is helpful to have the following historical background information.

Father of Jesus

Joseph was the husband of the Virgin Mary, and the father of Jesus Christ. He is referred to as St Joseph in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Christian religions. Joseph was an accomplished craftsman and devoted father to Jesus. He was committed to providing Jesus with a place live and taught him carpentry skills. There are biblical references to Joseph’s trade skills.

Patron saint

In the Catholic Church, Joseph is the patron saint of workers. Pope Pius IX named Joseph the patron saint and protector of the Catholic Church in 1870. In addition to his status as the patron saint of workers, he is considered the saint of home protection. Joseph is also informally referred to as “the home selling saint.” Due to Joseph’s standing, a tradition has evolved where people will bury a St Joseph statue to sell house in their front yard. The statue is frequently buried upside down, pointing at the home. It is typically buried close to the “For Sale” sign.

Feast day

March 19 is designated St. Joseph Day. Since the 10th century, March 19 has been the principal feast day of him, Anglicans and many other Christian traditions. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates this Day on the first Sunday after Christmas.

Cities and churches

There are numerous cities and towns that are named after him. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has stated that San Jose (which is the Spanish form) is the most popular city name in the world. Two of the most famous San Joses are San Jose, California and San Jose, Costa Rica. Both cities were named by Spanish colonists. There are a number of churches that are dedicated to St. Joseph. The largest church in Canada, St. Joseph’s Oratory, is one such example.

Religious orders

There are several religious orders named after St. Joseph. The Sisters of Joseph was founded 1650 in Le Puy-en-Velay, France. It has around 14,000 members worldwide. There are approximately 7,000 in the US and 2,000 in France. The Roman Catholic Church founded the Josephite Fathers in 1871. Their mission is to work with the poor.