Because March 19 always falls during
Lent, St. Joseph's Day feasts often
have no meat, even though—because
the feast day is classed as a
solemnity—abstinence from meat is
not required according to Canon law,
even if it falls on a Friday. If the feast
day falls on a Sunday (other than Palm
Sunday), it is observed on the next
later available date instead: this is the
following day, Monday, 20 March.
From 2008 onwards, if St Joseph's Day
falls during Holy Week, it is moved to
the next earlier available date, usually
the Saturday before Holy Week. This
change was announced by the
Congregation for Divine Worship in
Notitiae March-April, 2006 (475-476,
page 96). The idea was to avoid the
"traffic jam" that would occur under the
old rules if both St Joseph's Day and
the Annunciation had to be moved to
the first available date after Easter
Week. This does not apply to
Traditionalist Catholics who follow the
older calendar and maintain the feast
on March 19.
Lent, St. Joseph's Day feasts often
have no meat, even though—because
the feast day is classed as a
solemnity—abstinence from meat is
not required according to Canon law,
even if it falls on a Friday. If the feast
day falls on a Sunday (other than Palm
Sunday), it is observed on the next
later available date instead: this is the
following day, Monday, 20 March.
From 2008 onwards, if St Joseph's Day
falls during Holy Week, it is moved to
the next earlier available date, usually
the Saturday before Holy Week. This
change was announced by the
Congregation for Divine Worship in
Notitiae March-April, 2006 (475-476,
page 96). The idea was to avoid the
"traffic jam" that would occur under the
old rules if both St Joseph's Day and
the Annunciation had to be moved to
the first available date after Easter
Week. This does not apply to
Traditionalist Catholics who follow the
older calendar and maintain the feast
on March 19.
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