Joseph of Nazareth

Joseph of Nazareth, often known as "St. Joseph," was the spouse of the Virgin Mary and the foster-father of Jesus Christ. His life is known primarily through the early chapters of the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke, and a rich oral tradition. He was of the house and lineage of King David, with his family home being Bethlehem.

According to Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3, Joseph was a tekton, which means a mechanic in general and a carpenter in particular. The oral tradition, accepted since the earliest times, was that Joseph was indeed a carpenter by trade, and it is likely that Jesus initially followed in his footsteps.

It is assumed that Joseph was deceased by the time of Jesus's preaching and Passion, as there is no mention of him while there are references to Jesus's other family members. It was common for a husband to be substantially older than a wife, we know that Mary was quite young when she was betrothed to Joseph, and for women to live longer than men.