Pope Francis sent a statue of the sleeping St. Joseph to the Church where he received his First Communion, his Confirmation and celebrated his first Mass as a priest in Argentina. This gesture was in honor of the feast of St. Joseph.
The Pope has a special devotion to this saint. In his room, he keeps a statue of the sleeping St. Joseph, and under it, he leaves little pieces of paper with his prayer intentions. Pope Francis explained his fondness for the saint during a Mass in the Philippines.
“I have great love for Saint Joseph, because he is a man of silence and strength,” Pope Francis said on January 16, 2015 during a visit to the Philippines. “On my table I have an image of Saint Joseph sleeping. Even when he is asleep, he is taking care of the Church!”
With the statue, the Holy See sent a message signed by Pope Francis. In it, he asked his intentions to be left next to the statue. The parishioners welcomed his gift with a procession and honored his request.