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Saint Sleeping Joseph with Aureole on His Head wood carved Italy wood carved Statue; St. Joseph sleeping a great devotion rediscovered
Pope Francis' devotion to the sleeping St. Joseph has inspired many people to practice that sweet gesture of entrusting themselves to the Custodian of the Holy Family. St. Joseph sleeping is a devotion very rooted in Pope Francis, in fact he himself has confided that when he has a thought that presses him taking away some of his sleep, he usually writes a note and put it under the statue of St. Joseph sleeping that he has next to him in his room at Santa Marta.
Pope Francis also jokingly says that under the statuette there is a sort of mattress full of cards (we can write the graces we desire for ourselves and others and put them underneath the sleeping St. Joseph). But we all wonder: how does this devotion of our pontiff come about? Actually, Pope Francis since the age of 17 years old
has had a very close relationship with St. Joseph. This devotion of St. Joseph sleeping, has very deep roots, it is based on the words of the Gospel of St. Matthew when the Holy Patriarch in a dream the Angel appeared to him saying not to be afraid to take Mary as his bride.
However, this devotion has developed thanks to the Holy Father, especially in Italy, discovering this new aspect of Saint Joseph, Spouse of Mary. In many homes today we can see statues of Joseph sleeping, until now there were classic statues where the great Saint is depicted with the Baby Jesus in his arms and the lily.
The dream is the instrument that God uses with Joseph to communicate with him, and therefore St. Joseph sleeping is able to get directions from God to guide the Holy Family.