19 March St Joseph (died first century)
Nothing is known about him apart from biblical accounts, which are not meant to
be biographical, but of interest in connection with Jesus. Mary’s pregnancy was
obviously a threat to his good name, but he took her for his wife. Jesus was
taken to the temple ‘by his parents’ for circumcision and when he was 12. After
this Joseph is not mentioned. The Jewish historian Pinkas Lapide thought that
Joseph most likely was part of a rebellion in Palestine and executed (the
punishment for rebellion was crucifixion). References to ‘Jesus’ brothers’
seemed to conflict with the teaching of Mary’s perpetual virginity and taken that
Joseph had been a widower, he has been portrayed as an old man and with a
lily, showing chastity. Devotion to Joseph was spread by the missionary religious
orders, with interest in the Holy Family and emphasis on the humanity of Christ.
Joseph was, after Mary, seen as the supreme intercessor, Theresa of Avila said
that he helped ‘in every need’. The Church instituted the liturgical feast day in
the 15 th century, and a feast of ‘St Joseph the Worker’ for May 1 in 1956.
20 March St Cuthbert (about 634-687)
The most revered Saint of Northern England was born into a wealthy Anglo-
Saxon Family. He began his monastic life by riding up to Melrose armed with a
spear. He was a knight and had fought in wars. He chose Melrose because he
admired the prior there. The abbot of Melrose persuaded him to help establish a
new house at Ripon, from which he returned to Melrose as Prior. In 664 at the
Synod of Whitby, he voted for the Roman tradition and was sent to Lindisfarne.
Aged 40 he became a hermit and in 684 Bishop of Hexham. He died at his
hermitages in 687, his body was taken to Lindisfarne and later to Durham. The
Lindisfarne Gospel was made for the ceremony of ‘the elevation of the body’ of
Cuthbert, which was found un-decayed, a sign of sainthood. His Shrine at
Durham was a major medieval Pilgrimage destination. The head of St Oswald
was later placed into that same shrine.
After the Reformation the body was buried in a plain grave by the High Altar. He
is the Patron Saint of Durham. A dense fog that saved the city from the threat of
bombing in World War II was attributed to his intercession.
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