St. Joseph is the spouse of Mary and the foster father of Jesus Christ. The main sources of information on the life of St. Joseph are the first chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke.
There are other writings which were not included in the Canon of Sacred Books that describe events in the lives of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus. These works are known as apocryphal writings and must be used very cautiously and judiciously. Some of the details recorded by them may be founded on trustworthy traditions. In most cases it is next to impossible to discern and sift these elements of true history from the fancies and legends with which they are associated. Among the non-biblical writings dealing with some episodes of St. Joseph’s life include the “Protoevangelium of James”, the "Pseudo-Matthew", the "Gospel of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary", the "Story of Joseph the Carpenter", and the "Life of the Virgin and Death of Joseph". Again, these writings must be approached with great caution and discernment.
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