The Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph

The Sunday within the Octave of Christmas  ·  Feast  ·  White

Our Lady keeps a book open in one hand and lifts the cradle's cover with the other, the Christ Child asleep beneath it, while behind her Saint Joseph bends to his carpentry and angels come down out of the dark. The feast of the Holy Family is young among the feasts of the year: the Holy See instituted it in 1893 and set it on the third Sunday after the Epiphany, and Pope Leo XIII himself wrote the three hymns of its Office, for Vespers, Matins and Lauds, the hymn for Matins opening Sacra jam splendent. The hymns carry the thought of his letter founding a pious association in honour of the Holy Family. The Church now keeps the feast on the Sunday within the octave of Christmas, or on 30 December when no Sunday falls between Christmas and the New Year. The house in the painting is a working house, and He was subject to them in it.

Hugh Henry, “Sacra Jam Splendent”, The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 13 (1912): newadvent.org

The Gospel of the feast

⁴²And when he was twelve years old, they going up into Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast, ⁴³And having fulfilled the days, when they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents knew it not. ⁴⁴And thinking that he was in the company, they came a day's journey and sought him among their kinsfolks and acquaintance. ⁴⁵And not finding him, they returned into Jerusalem, seeking him. ⁴⁶And it came to pass, that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all that heard him were astonished at his wisdom and his answers. ⁴⁸And seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: Son, why hast thou done so to us? Behold thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. ⁴⁹And he said to them: How is it that you sought me? Did you not know that I must be about my father's business? ⁵⁰And they understood not the word that he spoke unto them. ⁵¹And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart. ⁵²And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and grace with God and men.

Luke 2:42–52, Douay-Rheims (Challoner)

In painting

The feasts of the year  ·  The Rosary