Catholics recently celebrated the Feast of St. Joseph, commemorating the Virgin Mary's husband and Jesus' earthly father. 

"As we celebrate the Solemnity of St. Joseph, transferred from yesterday, we admire his gentle faith, constant hope, and chaste love for Mary and God's Son Jesus entrusted into his protective care," Kalamazoo Bishop Paul Bradley said in a tweet after the celebration. "May we imitate those virtues in our lives. St. Joseph, protect the Church; pray for us."

The Feast of St. Joseph is generally commemorated on March 19, but this year was different. Because March 19 fell on the Fourth Sunday of Lent, the feast was moved to March 20.

The feast day has a dual purpose in Italy, where the occasion also marks the country's version of Father's Day, according to the Italian Sons and Daughters of America. 

St. Joseph was likely born in Bethlehem and died in Nazareth. His mission was to legally establish Jesus Christ as part of the line of David and act as his father and guardian. Information about St. Joseph mainly comes from the first two chapters of the Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Culture says. 

In the early days of the Church, he did not earn much recognition; most went to Mary. In the Middle Ages, though, many saints venerated him. Later, Piux IX (1870) declared Joseph was a patron and protector of the extended family of the Church, Catholic Culture continues.

Many countries with a robust Catholic presence celebrate St. Joseph's Day during Lent, engaging in strict fasting and abstinence while providing food for the poor. The holiday's iconic traditions come from Italy, Malta, Spain, and Poland, where they remain consistent. Traditions include wearing red clothing, giving food to those in need, and fasting. According to National Today, some cultures have a symbolic interpretation of the day.