Welcome to the
Church of St. Joseph
Stop 1: Front Door Relief: Joseph Patron / Ite Ad Joseph
The church is dedicated to St. Joseph, and it is only fitting that the relief over the front doors honors the parish patron. The inscription Ite Ad Joseph - "Go to Joseph" - is a traditional invocation of the saint and an appropriate invitation to all who enter. The words are taken from the Book of Genesis. when the brothers of Joseph, whom they had sold in slavery, journey to Egypt in the midst of the great famine. The pharaoh instructs them. "Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you."
The Greek monogram, the Chi-Rho, which looks like the Latin letters X and P superimposed over one another, stands for the first two letters of the name "Christ."
The relief depicts St. Joseph with his arms outstretched in protection and blessing. The image of St. Peter's Basilica refers to St. Joseph's title "Patron of the Universal Church," the title bestowed on him by Pope Pius IX in 1870.
The figures of the laborers honor St. Joseph as "Patron of Workers," declared by Pope Pius XII in 1955. Pope John Paul II referred to him as "Guardian of the Redeemer" in an Apostolic Letter of the same title in 1989.
The bronze cross at the top of the gable is an exact replica of that atop the baldacchino in the sanctuary
Stop 2: Front Right Door: Guardian of the Holy Family
Above the doors to the right, the north aisle, is a relief that honors St.
Joseph as Almae Familiae Praeses. "Guardian of the Holy Family" and depicts the Holy Family in the carpenter's shop in Nazareth.
Stop 3: Front Left Door: Flight into Egypt
Above the doors to the left, the south aisle, is a relief that commemorates the Flight into Egypt, when Joseph protected the Child Jesus and his mother, Mary, from Herod's soldiers. The text reads, Surge et Accipe Puerum, Arise and Take the Child."
Stop 4: North Transept on Fifth Street: Symbol of St. Joseph
Walk around the walkway to your right. Above the door to the north transept on Fifth Street is a familiar symbol for St. Joseph: intertwined are carpenter's tools and a lily, emblematic of Joseph's trade and his purity and sanctity. Let us now return to the front plaza and enter by way of the center doors.
Stop 5: Left & Right Windows
We enter the narthex, the vestibule of the church. The narthe screen is dedicated to consecrated life, both the contemplative and the apostolic. The panels to the right commemorate the monastic orders of the church and the saints who wrote the traditional Rules of Life that have guided Western spirituality: starting from the far right, St. Augustine of Hippo, St. Bruno of Cologne, and St. Benedict of Nursia. From the far left, we see saints associated with the apostolic orders St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. the Jesuits: St. Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, the Dominicans; and St Francis of Assisi, founder of the franciscans. (One note of interest: St Dominic is depicted in traditional Dominican habit, accompanied by a dog holding a lighted torch. There is a play on words here. The Dominicans - in Latin, the Dominicanes - were outstanding preachers and defenders of the faith, relentlessly traveling across Europe, combating heresy. They were the "Hounds of the Lord" - in Latin, the Domini Canes.)
Stop 6: St. Anthony of Padua and St. Teresa of Avila
The center doors bear medallions that are repeated in the great Rose Window, above the organ pipes. We will consider them later. The side lights on either side of the doors contain symbols from the Litany of St. Joseph: Hope of the Sick, Lover of Poverty, Protector of the Church; and the Marian Litany of Loretto: Seat of Wisdom, Mirror of Justice, Spiritual Vessel.
At the doors leading to the side aisles are statues of St. Anthony of Padua to the left, and St. Teresa of Avila to the right. This is an appropriate time to point out that all the statues in the church are composed entirely of marbles of various colors, fitted together to create one piece.
Stop 7: South & North Nave
We enter through the center doors into the nave of the church (next page). The church is constructed on a traditional basilica form: one center aisle, two side aisles. The nave of the church is barrel vaulted. The center aisle leads to the sanctuary with its semi-circular apse.
Stop 8: View of the Curch from the Altar
Various marbles are used throughout the church. The side aisles' wainscoting is of portasanta marble, so named because it is used to face the Holy Door ("Porta Santa") in St. Peter's Basilica. The columns along the nave reaching to the clerestory (seen on the left and right of the photo above) are of rosso levanto marble. When the light strikes them, the reddish tones are discernible.
Stop 9: Coat of Arms
The side aisle windows bear various coats of arms. Beginning nearest the sanctuary on the south (left): The Coat of Arms of Pope Pius XII, the reigning pontiff when the church was built; that of Bishop Raymond Kearney, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn at the time of the construction; and that of Bishop John Loughlin, first bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn. On the north (right), beginning nearest the sanctuary: the coat of arms of Archbishop Thomas E. Molloy. bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn when the church was built; that of Bishop John Boardman, auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn at the time of the construction; and that of Bishop Charles E. McDonnell, the second bishop of Brooklyn, who established St. Joseph Parish. It is worthwhile to note that at the time of the construction and dedication of the church, 1954-56, Garden City was part of the Diocese of Brooklyn. The Diocese of Rockville Centre was created in 1957.
Stop 10: Clerestory Windows: Mysteries of the Rosary
The clerestory windows commemorate the Joyful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary. On the north are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. Starting nearest the sanctuary: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation of the Child Jesus, and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. On the south are the Glorious Mysteries. From the sanctuary. the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, and the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Each of these double clerestory windows is accented by smaller rectangular panes of stained glass below. Which offer scripture quotes and symbols appropriate to the mystery commemorated in the window above.
All of the stained glass in the church is the work of Maumejean Freres Studios, Paris. Note especially the use of dalle de Verre in the haloes of the figures. Dalle glass is fashioned of thicker pieces of glass that are not fat. but multifaceted and catch the light to more brilliant effect.
Stop 11: South & North Nave
Standing at the cut in the center aisle, turning to the rear, we face the organ gallery and the great Rose Window. The present organ was built by Fratelli Ruffatti, of Padua, Italy. At the time of its installation in 1976, it was one of only three Ruffatti pipe organs in the United States and was the largest pipe organ in the Diocese of Rockville Centre. It features 2,778 pipes.
The trumpets are mounted en chamade, i.e., horizontally, projecting out into the church. The organ was refurbished as part of the 1993 renovation.
Stop 12: The Great Rose Window
Above the organ pipes is the great Rose Window, which commemorates the life of St. Joseph. Starting at the top right and moving clockwise we see the Star of Bethlehem, acknowledging Joseph's presence at the birth of Jesus; next, the tray with two flagons and two candles, honoring the marriage of Joseph and Mary; continuing, the Wheat of the Eucharist, product of human labor and symbol of Jesus, to whom Joseph served as foster father, and completing the right side, the Rose, a symbol of Mary. without whom the story of Joseph is incomplete. Continuing up the left, in a clockwise progression, we see palm trees and pyramids, recalling the Flight into Egypt; the Harp and Crown of David, acknowledging Joseph's lineage of the house and family of David; the Carpenter's Tools, recognizing Joseph's profession and his place as Patron of Workers; and finally, the Lily, symbolic of Joseph's purity and sanctity.
The trumpets are mounted en chamade, i.e., horizontally, projecting out into the church. The organ was refurbished as part of the 1993 renovation.
Stop 13: Stations of the Cross
The clerestory windows commemorate the Joyful and Glorious mysteries of the Rosary. On the north are the Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary. Starting nearest the sanctuary: the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation of the Child Jesus, and the Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple. On the south are the Glorious Mysteries. From the sanctuary. the Resurrection, the Ascension, the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, the Assumption of Mary into Heaven, and the Coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven and Earth. Each of these double clerestory windows is accented by smaller rectangular panes of stained glass below. Which offer scripture quotes and symbols appropriate to the mystery commemorated in the window above.
All of the stained glass in the church is the work of Maumejean Freres Studios, Paris. Note especially the use of dalle de Verre in the haloes of the figures. Dalle glass is fashioned of thicker pieces of glass that are not fat. but multifaceted and catch the light to more brilliant effect.
Stop 14: The Great Rose Window
The windows in the transepts commemorate Mary and the Passion of Jesus.
In the south transept window are titles taken from the Litany of Loretto. Beginning top right: Ark of the Covenant; Gate of Heaven: Tower of Ivory; and the Lily and the Star of David honoring Mary's virginity and her Jewish heritage.
The north transept window displays symbols of the Crucifixion. From the top left: the nails of crucifixion and the crown of thorns; the centurion's lance that pierced the heart of Jesus and the sponge soaked in sour wine that was held up to the lips of Jesus as he hung upon the cross, the cross itself; and Jesus' Sacred Heart.
Stop 15: Side Altars
The side altars honor Jesus, under the title of his Sacred Heart, and Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception.
These side altars are enclosed with sections of the original communion rail, as is the baptismal font.
Stop 16: Pope Pius X and St. John Vianney
Adjoining Mary's altar is a statue of Pope Pius X. the Pope of the Blessed Sacrament, who shepherded the Church 1903-14. Next to the Sacred Heart altar is a statue of St. John Vianney, the Curé of Ars, patron saint of parish priests.
Stop 17: The Baptismal Font
The baptismal font is original to the church and was moved to its present position in the renovation of 1993. The bowl is of verde alpi (green) marble, as are the four columns that support the bowl. The shaft and the base are of giallo siena (honey-colored marble). The mosaic of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is an addition of the 1993 renovation. The baptismal area is surrounded by sections of the original communion rail.
Stop 18: Bronze Gates
Reference has been made several times to the "Renovation of 1993" This was work undertaken to bring St Joseph's Church into greater conformity with the liturgical renewal that followed the Second Vatican Council. As part of that renovation, the communion rail was removed, its bronze gates were hung in the rear of the nave and behind the handicapped seating area, the pulpit or ambo was lowered in height, and the sanctuary extended. The freestanding altar we presently see was fashioned from the two original side altars, placed back-to-back, so it maintains harmony with the high altar beneath the baldacchino. The mensa (altar table) is of verde alpi (green) marble. supported by columns of giallo siena (honey-colored) marble
Stop 19: Sanctuary Murals
Let us now direct our attention to the sanctuary. The two murals depict scenes from the life of St. Joseph: the Holy Family in the carpenter's shop in Nazareth and the death of Joseph. Because of the tradition that Joseph died with Jesus and Mary at his side, Joseph has been invoked at the Patron of a Happy Death.
Note: Originally there were four murals in the sanctuary. The two other murals depicted the Marriage of Joseph and Mary and the Flight into Egypt. The date and reason for their removal and their present whereabouts is not known to us at this time.
Stop 20: The Ambo
The pulpit, or ambo, is situated on the right as we look at the sanctuary. It is an imposing feature, fashioned of four marbles: verde St. Denis (green), rosso levanto (reddish tinged), botticino (cream colored), and Brescia dorata (white with green highlights).
Stop 21: The Ambry
The ambry, located to the right of the baldacchino, holds the sacred oils: Holy Oil or Oil of Catechumens, used in Baptism; Oil of the Sick, for the Anointing of the Sick; and Sacred Chrism, used in Baptism, Confirmation, and Holy Orders.
Stop 22: The Double Clerestory Windows
The four double windows in the clerestory of the sanctuary are dedicated to the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They each depict the saint and an event from his life.
Stop 23: The Balndacchino
The jewel of St. Joseph's church is undoubtedly the impressive baldacchino. The columns are of one piece, portoro (black and gold) marble. with bronze Corinthian-style capitals with angel motifs. At the corners of the baldacchino stand four Old Testament figures: Melchizedech, the priest/king of Salem, holding his sacrifice of bread and wine; David, crowned and holding the scepter of his kingship and a scroll of the Psalms; Moses, holding the tablets of the Law; the Patriarch Abraham.
The baldacchino is of botticino marble, surmounted by a bronze cross. The soffit, or underside, features mosaic medallions of the symbols of the four evangelists: Matthew, a human figure; Mark, a lion; Luke, an ox: and John, an eagle.
Above the bronze crucifix on the reredos is a monogram of the name Jesus in Greek, IHS, flanked by two angels. Above are the words Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus: Holy, Holy, Holy.
Stop 24: The High Altar
The high altar is fashioned of a single, nine-foot slab of verde alpi (green) marble. The antependium, or frontal, of the altar is also of verde alpi, with giallo siena columns and mosaic inserts of the Alpha and the Omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, recalling Jesus' words in the Book of Revelation: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." The center panel depicts a pelican caring for her young. It was a symbol beloved by the medievals, recalling the legend that if her young were starving, the pelican would pierce her breast and nourish her young with her own blood. The Eucharistic reference is obvious.
Stop 25: The Tabernacle
The tabernacle occupies a fitting place of preeminent honor on the high altar. The tabernacle door depicts eight scenes from the life of St. Joseph: Joseph as a young man; the marriage of Mary and Joseph; Joseph at the birth of Jesus; Joseph as guardian of the Christ Child; the Flight into Egypt: the Presentation of the Child in the Temple; the Holy Family in Nazareth; and the death of Joseph.
Our tour concludes with this appreciation of the tabernacle and its sacred contents, the Eucharistic Real Presence of Christ. The Eucharist is not only our communion with our Lord and Savior; it is also our bond with one another. And the beautiful edifice which is the Church of St. Joseph reminds us that we are the living Church of Christ - not of stone or glass or precious metals, but of our flesh and blood, our hope and vision, our energy and spirit.
