Altar Flowers, St. Joseph & the Lily

Our tradition of celebrating the ones we love with Easter flowers for the altar at Easter continues with your generosity. The form to make a donation in someone’s honor or memory is at Lent. An interesting aside: This Q & A is from the University of Dayton. Q: Is the St. Joseph Lily named after the husband of Mary or Joseph of Arimathea? A: The lily is associated with St. Joseph, spouse of Mary, through an ancient legend that he was so chosen from among other men by the blossoming of his staff like a lily. Likewise, the biblical passage, "The just man shall blossom like the lily" is applied to St. Joseph in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church for his feast day, March 19. Thus, in religious art the lily is used as an emblem of St. Joseph, and similarly in religious flower symbolism the names "St. Joseph's Staff" and "St. Joseph's Lily" have been applied to a number of flowers - depending on the region.