Life of St. Joseph

Window V33 of Milan Duomo is dedicated to Saint Joseph and depicts some episodes from his life.  Virgin Mary's husband and putative father of Jesus, Saint Joseph was a descendent of David.

Son of a carpenter, he was a humble, ordinary man, who found himself in an extraordinary situation. Mary, his betrothed, was pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph was shaken and secretly considered disowning her. But an angel of the God appeared to him in a dream, speaking to Joseph and showing him the way.

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit." (Mt. 1: 20)

The window was completed by Valerio Perfundavalle, with the help of Pier Angelo Sesini, in the second half of the 16th century. It was finished one century later by Giovanni Battista Lampugnano.

The very first episode at the bottom of the window depicts Joseph's Dream, in wihich the angel appears to St. Joseph.

The knot was loosened and that was the way indicated by God. Saint Joseph was pivotal in the Holy Family and welcomed the Virgin Mary as his wife.

Next there was the episode of the Visitation: Joseph and Mary went to the home of the cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist, to help her in the final days before the birth.

The upper part is dedicated to the Nativity, which takes place in a cave of which evocative details are presented.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem, during the time of Herod who, upon hearing of a child called the King of the Judeans, grew angry and in an alarmed state ordered the massacre of all boys born in the vicinity.

There could not be any King other than Herod. The danger was tangible. The angel appeared again in a dream to Joseph and warned him.

"Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him." (Mt. 2:13)

The Holy Family fled to Egypt, under the cover of darkness.

And this escape is the very episode recounted by artists from every century and ends the top part of the window.

Window V33 is positioned along Milan Duomo northern side, close to the altar dedicated to Saint Joseph, designed by Pellegrino Tibaldi.