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Religious holiday · 2034

Saint Joseph's Day 2034

Saint Joseph's Day falls on Sunday, 19 March 2034 in the 2 countries that observe it.

Dates by country

Saint Joseph's Day 2034 by country
CountryDateLocal name
LiechtensteinSun 19 MarweekendJosefstag
Vatican CitySun 19 MarweekendSan Giuseppe

What is Saint Joseph's Day?

Saint Joseph's Day honours Joseph, the husband of Mary and the foster father of Jesus, as described in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The Gospels describe him as a righteous man from Nazareth, and tradition adds that he was a carpenter. He is a patron of fathers, workers and the universal Church; Pope Pius IX declared him Patron of the Universal Church in 1870. Joseph is mentioned only briefly in the Gospels, yet devotion to him has been strong for centuries.

The day has many local traditions. In Italy, Spain and Portugal it is Father's Day, and in Italy families eat fried pastries called zeppole di San Giuseppe. In Valencia in Spain, the Fallas festival ends on 19 March, when the large satirical papier-mâché sculptures are burned in the streets. It is a public holiday in Malta, Liechtenstein and Vatican City, and in parts of Switzerland, Spain, Austria and Brazil in the data used here. Many towns hold processions and markets in his honour.

Why it is observed

By the tenth century the date was dedicated to Joseph in several Western calendars, and it was established in Rome by 1479. Pope Pius V extended the feast to the whole Roman Rite in 1570. In 1955 Pope Pius XII added a second feast, Saint Joseph the Worker, on 1 May. In Italy, 19 March stopped being a civil holiday in 1977, when a law (no. 54 of 1977) removed it and several other religious holidays from the civil calendar; it was not restored when the Epiphany was in 1985. It remains a popular Father's Day.

How the date is set

Saint Joseph's Day is fixed on 19 March. It falls in Lent, and when it clashes with Holy Week the church celebration is moved to an earlier day, though civil observance stays on 19 March. In Colombia the public holiday is moved to the following Monday (22 March in 2027).

How it is observed

Status differs widely. It is a public holiday in Malta, Liechtenstein, Vatican City and Colombia (moved to Monday), and in some Swiss cantons, Spanish regions and Brazilian states. In Austria it is a regional holiday for Carinthia, Styria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg, where it is observed by custom. In Italy it is not a day off. Check the rules for the country and region, because opening hours, school closures and pay and time off depend on the law, the region and the contract.

Sources

Questions

Good to know

When is Saint Joseph's Day in 2034?

Sunday, 19 March 2034 in all 2 countries that observe it (Liechtenstein, Vatican City).

Which countries observe Saint Joseph's Day?

In our coverage: Liechtenstein, Vatican City. Only holidays that apply across a whole country are counted.

Why is Saint Joseph's Day observed?

By the tenth century the date was dedicated to Joseph in several Western calendars, and it was established in Rome by 1479. Pope Pius V extended the feast to the whole Roman Rite in 1570. In 1955 Pope Pius XII added a second feast, Saint Joseph the Worker, on 1 May. In Italy, 19 March stopped being a civil holiday in 1977, when a law (no. 54 of 1977) removed it and several other religious holidays from the civil calendar; it was not restored when the Epiphany was in 1985. It remains a popular Father's Day.

How is the date of Saint Joseph's Day set?

Saint Joseph's Day is fixed on 19 March. It falls in Lent, and when it clashes with Holy Week the church celebration is moved to an earlier day, though civil observance stays on 19 March. In Colombia the public holiday is moved to the following Monday (22 March in 2027).