THE REST OF THE STORY

An anecdote of the coming to be of the St. Joseph Pilgrimage Icon Project

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“Brother Vladimir!  Hello and blessings! I am seeking help -- looking for a way to have an icon written. We are in preliminary stages and determining size, symbology, colors to match the other icons, and overall theme. It will be of St. Joseph, as this year is dedicated to St. Joseph. It may be "Husband of Mary" of "Protector of the Family" or such, but most likely "earthly father of the Christ-Child". We like the image of Joseph working with wood, sleeves rolled, masculine, young, with strong hands, and the Christ-Child is on Joseph's right shoulder, one hand in traditional blessing, and the other buried into Joseph's hair. Much symbolism here, and more to come. Even the size of the icon board will be symbolic 33inches by 49inches, and built completely in the traditional way by hand. Please: how to determine we are doing this correctly, and what this will cost? And how long will it take?”

Thus began a journey to realize the making of a great icon in honor of St. Joseph!

On the Feast of Christ the King 2020 is when I first heard that the year 2021 would be dedicated in honor of St. Joseph. Having completed 150 years since Pius IX declared St. Joseph as the Patron of the Catholic Church (8 December 1870), the Church would honor him with a year dedicated to the beloved earthly father of the Christ Child and the virtuous spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mother (Apostolic Letter Patris Corde). For my part I was delighted: St. Joseph, in my humble opinion, is much neglected by the post-modern Christian. His life and example assuredly give us much to consider and from which to learn and practice.

This conviction came strongly to my heart during a casual conversation one day.  In March of 2020 I had flown with my eldest daughter to visit Magdalen College in outstate New Hampshire.  There I spent some time at my alma mater – attending classes, the liturgy, and meals; tromping through the woods where I and fellow students had reclaimed trails and an orchard deep into the surrounding forest; meditating and tending to some much neglected groundskeeping at the shrine of St. Joseph I had spearheaded while in college... The chaplain of the school snagged me in for a meeting in his office one day.  It was immediately clear we both had some things in common:  concern for our nation;  deep concern for the state of the church;  background with the Eastern Rites; a great love of the Icon as a tool of catechesis; and a strong devotion to St. Joseph.  Fr. Boucher wasted no time pressing on me the thought I should take up some work to help Dear Ole Joseph become more present to the lives of more people.  But what? I left that visit searching.

My grandmother/godmother had a strong devotion to the Husband and Worker. Her father’s name was Joseph; she had been wed at the parish of St. Joseph in Foxhome, MN; she intentionally named her fresh homeschooling program in honor of the saint in 1980. Herself at that point a mother of 13, married to a faithful and hardworking farmer-carpenter-superman, and already watching in 1981 a fast growing batch of grandchildren, she chose wisely a saint to whom she could turn for guidance, intercession, inspiration, and example. This devotion was firmly established in her grandson very early in his life as he began homeschooling with her in 1980. She appealed to the saint when she defended and appealed her right to homeschool her children all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1985 (State v Budke, 371 N.W.2nd 533) which she won, as she told me, thanks to the intercession of St. Joseph and in part to several common sense persons, including Justice Wahl. What could I do for Saint Joseph in return?   

My conviction, therefore, on hearing the news on the Feast of Christ the King 2020 that St. Joseph was to be honored with a year dedicated to his honor, was that I simply must endeavor to do something to honor the holy Carpenter-Husband-Father!  I prayed over it, asking God what He willed of this inspiration.  Within days the idea of commissioning a great icon of St. Joseph began to formulate during prayer.

An icon is no small task -- nothing to be taken lightly. There is a growing and healthy trend in the Western Churches to have more icons available for veneration and inspiration. The Eastern Churches never abandoned the use of icons (even during severe destruction and heretical chastisement under emperors Leo III and Constantine V). Seen as windows into truth, the East has held icons dearly as a vibrant and colorful opportunity to teach truths and precepts of the faith, catechize, and promote devotion to followers of Christ who came before us. An icon, therefore is quite a serious undertaking as it is a tool which must effectively teach but faithfully instruct the faithful in matters of faith.

“Brother Vladimir, Thank you for sending pictures of those icons your iconographers have written there at your monastery. These are each beautiful…  I've attached a copy to this email of several other icons which I have found which are much closer to how we would envision this proposed work.  What do you think? Our goal is to promote strong fatherhood, manliness, the worker, and virtue to men. One icon I have found which is very beautiful shows Joseph as fairly young and strong, working, sleeves rolled and strong hands, while Jesus is on Joseph's shoulder, with one hand in blessing (His deity), while His other hand is grabbing deep into Joseph's hair (His Humanity). A similar icon I believe I saw in a church somewhere in travels -- either in Pittsburgh PA, or Washington DC area, or perhaps somewhere else. But I cannot find an image of it anywhere on the internet…” 

Who knew the commissioning of an icon of such a simple saint would involve such intense discussion!

“Brother Vladimir, I've attached a copy to this email of several other icons which I have found which are much closer to how we would envision this proposed work…Our goal is to promote strong fatherhood, manliness, the worker, and virtue to men..”

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The response came back less than hoped:

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“Dear brother Joshua in Christ, Thank you very much for your email and pictures. I am not an expert in Orthodox iconography but as far as I know we do not portray Saint Joseph Foster, father of the Christ-Child, as a young man. According to the Orthodox tradition, Saint Joseph was an elderly man when he was betrothed to Saint Mary. But I will discuss this issue with the iconographers and find out what they think about it. I will get back to you as soon as possible.”

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I recognize there is a distinct difference in traditional portrayal of Dear St. Joseph between the East and the West. The East tends to portray the saint as an aged and wise sage, nearing already the end of his earthly life when he took the young Mary into his care. There is also in the West a strong tradition based on early Christian tradition of him being young, virile, and yet wise. These discussions of course are better left to theologians!  The scriptures do not specifically address his age so there is little to address the debate there.

After much research, discussion with other eastern monasteries, interviews with persons who paint (known as writing) icons, much more has become clear about St. Joseph and the cultivation of his teaching.  There is a surprising amount of information about the revered character, who is not recorded as speaking one single word in any of the scriptures.  There is however, definitive information we do know with certainty from the Scriptures and there is also much more about the Patron which is held in deep tradition.  We certainly can engage in some discussion, rightly guided by what is known, and with the ancient overview of Mother Church looking on. 

“Brother Vladimir, If I may, and perhaps best you refer my discussion to your superiors, as I respect that diligently.  However, I will offer my discourse for consideration...”

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There are basically two schools of thought when it comes to the identity of St. Joseph, and a tidy place to begin is the age of the earthly father of the Christ Child, dedicated husband of Mother Mary, and protector and guardian of the Holy Family.

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Both traditions are somewhat conjecture, but based upon the reading and study of what is in (and what is omitted) in Sacred Scripture, especially Matthew 13:55; Luke 3:23, 4:22; and John 1:45, 6:42.

One school suggests that St. Joseph was a much aged widower; some early Christian arguments in favor of this justified the apparent contradiction in western language of the “brothers” of Jesus mentioned in the Gospels. Later study of the Hebrew and Semantic languages gave a clearer understanding that members of the extended family (cousins, first cousins, etc.) were also described as “brothers” in those languages. The suggestion that Joseph was a widower is also put forward in the non-canonical Apocrypha. Another reason propositioned is there is no mention of Joseph when Jesus was an adult in His public ministry, and it is propositioned that Joseph must have died by this point and therefore was considerably older than Mary.  Finally, there is the sad commentary of both the modern and post-modern world: skepticism that cannot conceive Mary could remain a virgin in a marriage with a virile, young man.

The other tradition, and that obviously favored by myself, is that Joseph was a young man. There are many convincing arguments for this, but these first:

1. Consider his strength as an artisan.

2. Consider his strength on the journey to the census in Bethlehem, and certainly his flight into Egypt.

3. Consider his tender care of Mary and Jesus, especially those scenes we are given within Scripture. 

4. Consider the Christ Child was certainly perceived by many as the earthly son of Joseph "Is he not the son of the carpenter (from Nazareth)?" Matthew 13:55.

The child Jesus needed a strong protector, not an aging old man. That said, I find the most convincing argument for Joseph being a young man is that God cannot be contradictory to Himself. For example, consider the evidence of the Sacrament of marriage: Joseph and Mary had a true and valid marriage, even though Joseph respected and encouraged Mary in her vow of virginity. The Holy family was a real family, full of love between Joseph and Mary, not a relationship between Mary and her formal guardian, mentor, and benevolent house lord. It was a real marriage. If Joseph was much aged, and a widower, it is easy to dismiss Mary's, as well Joseph's, deliberate decisions to remain a virgin dedicated as she had as a young girl in the temple.

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The Very Rev. Dr. John Arendzen (1873-1954) was son of a distinguished Amsterdam painter and etcher. Arendzen and three more of five brothers became priests. He most certainly had explored in detail how St. Joseph was to be portrayed in artwork, as his father had been commissioned by the Dutch government and the Catholic Church in 1873 for many paintings to be made as copies of great and sacred works of art.  The family traveled with their esteemed artist father to London during these commissions. The Rev. Arendzen also became an expert in Arabic language, among others, and poured scholarly efforts into understanding the scriptures.  Arendzen wrote in the early years of 1900 on the subject of St. Joseph:

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"Joseph and Mary were man and wife. Although Our Lady ever retained her spotless virginity, St. Joseph was truly her husband. The sacred contract of marriage was real between them, it gave all the rights of wedlock, though in a deep and mutual reverence they persevered in virginal purity. St. Joseph is the model for husbands; he was a workman, but he married a Princess. He had a share in carrying out the eternal plans of God."

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I would suggest there are strong and persuasive arguments (which would be excessively long for our purposes here) that St. Joseph:

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• was both a young man at the time of his marriage to Mary

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•and that he also maintained his own virginity as a fitting spouse of Mary, Theotokos

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“Brother Vladimir, Forgive my zeal! If I may persist?!” 

It is clear many saints strongly hold Joseph, among other blessings, was a young and virile father. No doubt, Saint Joseph was conceived with original sin, but like John the Baptist (and the Prophet Jeremiah), he was sanctified in the womb. Saint Frances de Sales, Bernardine de Bustis, Francisco Suarez, Jean Gerson, Isidoro Isolano, Cornelius a Lapide, and Saint Alphonsus Ligouri also hold that Saint Joseph was sanctified in his mother’s womb and preserved from all sin. This entails that all members of the Holy Family were sinless: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.

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The most ancient artistic representations of Saint Joseph depict him as a youth, descended also from the rich royalty of King David, and many of the earliest saints strongly held Joseph as a young, dignified, and serious husband. For example, Saint Jerome (d. 420) defends the “young Joseph belief” as the traditional belief of the Church, and that conviction was held by Christians in the Holy Land up until the 4th and 5th centuries. Saint Jerome also explicitly says that Saint Joseph lived and died as a virgin, and specifically not a widower (Ep. 22, Ad Eustochium de custodia virginitatis; Adversus Jovinianum, 392; Vita Malchi monachi captive, c.391). This also conforms to the belief of the early Fathers Saint Malchus of Syria (d. 390), Saint Athanasius (d. 373), and Saint Gregory Nazianzus (d. 390) who taught that Joseph, like Mary, was a youthful and perpetual virgin, and not a widower.

The “old Joseph belief” seems to arise mainly from the apocryphal Protoevangelium of Saint James, which describes Joseph as an old widower who “adopts” the youthful Blessed Virgin Mary through the mechanism of matrimony. Yet this document was repeatedly dismissed, and even condemned by many in the early Church, and while it contains some truth, it is not to be trusted in every regard – in particular regarding the age of Saint Joseph.

I find the evidence tipping toward the “young Saint Joseph” theory. The fact that art depictions before the fifth and sixth century show Joseph as a youthful man further confirm that this is the original and ancient belief of the universal Church.

“Brother Vladimir, I'm glad you are patient with me!  I am very thankful for your help and our ongoing discussion… with this year having a broad theme of learning from St. Joseph, we wanted to depict he, and with the Christ-Child, in such manner that the catechesis will promote fatherliness, virtuous devotion to marriage, diligence in laboring for God’s glory, and constant attention to eternal consequence. Fatherhood, family, and marriage being so under attack by the present age, and clearly the dark one, that to promote Joseph is a worthy endeavor, especially as husband, as father, and as worker. Well, we will discuss more I am sure. But there is strong support to keep somehow a theme of Joseph and the Christ-Child, while working, and as husband, and a strong, vibrant, vigorous man for the sake of catechesis and inspiration.  Regardless, Saint Joseph, Protector of Two Inestimable Treasures, pray for us!”

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Blessings abound! After declining the task twice at my request, a highly esteemed local painter finally presented his offer to stunt-double as an iconographer, willing to write the icon (Eric Menzhuber, menzhuberartstudios.com). This simplified the efforts and he confidently dove into Lent of 2021 with the goal of completing the icon by the feast day of the parish, May 24 (St. Constantine). The icon on this date is dedicated to St. Joseph, blessed, and consecrated as a pilgrimage icon, for veneration and catechesis of the faithful. This is wonderful.

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“Brother Vladimir, my gratitude is deep to you for engaging the process and discussion. Without it, I most certainly would not have endured an opportunity of testing and learning, most assuredly from Our Lord, as the end result is goodness and peace.  Be assured of my prayers for you there at your monastery. You remain in my heart, almost as if I had met you in person. As brothers in His Blood, let us continue with His Work in this world, until we go to meet Him finally!  May God protect you. And may our dear St. Joseph intercede on your behalf, and bless you abundantly, for the glory of God and the sanctification on His people!”

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Joshua La Fond, 45, graduated from Magdalen College in 1998, and resides near Buffalo, MN with his homeschooling family. He is a free-lance writer, artist, musician, bee-keeper, gardener, designer, carpenter, and business owner. He is also a teacher, catechist, choral director, and was one of the founders of Holy Spirit Academy in Monticello, MN. He has been a youth and religious education director, dean of students, family formation program director, holds a cna certificate, and offers child virtue training insight, whole-life happiness integration, and marriage counsel and coaching. But most importantly he is first and foremost a baptized son of God, best friend to his wife of nearly 22 years, father to nine children (three of whom have passed to the Merciful Hand of the Father), and most recently grandfather to his first grandchild!