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

The Archdiocese of Detroit on the feast day of St. Joseph called upon followers to accept the tasks that Joseph did as they live their lives.

“Happy Feast of St. Joseph!” the archdiocese said in a Facebook post Saturday, in reference to the earthly father of Jesus. “The Archdiocese of Detroit is home to 9 parishes named in honor of this powerful universal patron. Today we celebrate St. Joseph under his title 'husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary.' St. Joseph was tasked with living a life of purity, journeying with the Blessed Mother, and staying close to Christ. May we accept this same task as we live our lives of faith.” 

Joseph was a carpenter who was engaged to Mary when she became pregnant with Jesus, according to Catholic.org. Although he knew the baby wasn’t his, he decided instead to send Mary away to prevent her from being stoned, as adulterous women could be. Before he spirited her away, an angel visited him and told him to take Mary as his wife, because the child she carried was the son of God. Joseph trusted the angel and married Mary.

Joseph later had to protect his infant son from King Herod after an angel warned him in a dream that Herod was planning a violent plot, according to Britannica. Joseph and his family fled to Egypt, where they waited until the danger passed before returning to Nazareth. Joseph is not mentioned during the Gospel accounts of Jesus' crucifixion, so it is believed that Joseph died before that time.

Joseph is the patron saint of the Universal Church, unborn children, fathers, workers, travelers, immigrants and happy deaths. St. Joseph is celebrated on two separate feast days: the Solemnity of Joseph on March 19, and the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker on May 1.