Image of Joseph

Salutation to the form of your name, which is tripled in its shape, while from four it is inscribed and from two it is doubled. Righteous Joseph, who puts enemies to shame, the foundations of faith upon us when he raised up the wailing. May this your help be a helper to us. Salutation to the memory of your name, whose interpretation is "savior," which in the Hebrew tongue is "child, son of the father," Joseph, and "son of David," the faithful. May this place be a sanctuary of the Lord, a dwelling for your name, be it at all times. Salutation to the shape of your name, which you magnified by deed. Child of the Virgin, God, the wood of suffering and affliction. As I say, Joseph, your torments of the earth, give me to drink the form of the dew from your priestly mystery, as Uriel gave to drink to Ezra the teacher. Salutation to your neck, which was strangled at first, while he sought rest from the chastisement of the Virgin at the time of his weakness. Between you, Joseph, and the Virgin they stood. Only Gabriel and Salome, for they are blessed, they greeted you with the son and his mother.

Salutation to your neck, which was adorned with a chain; the children whom you raised in their youth gave you sorrow. When your twin, Joseph, and the small child called me, the elder, after the time of my youth. Hear the story of the two of you with attentive ear. Salutation to your tomb, in its place and its enclosure. For David your father, as was his custom, your son Joseph, after death alone, dwelt with his mother in the land of Nazareth, his birthplace, so that your one son would be called a Nazarene. For Herod, a man of iniquity, after his death was known, a word came into the land of Salem, his inheritance, with Joseph his guardian and with Mary his mother, that the word of the prophet of righteousness might be fulfilled there. I summoned this my son from Egypt. Now the praise of your entire image is completed, for in its time it will be for the mercy of the Lord. He made me enter, Joseph, into the inner palace with Mary and Salome, that I might dwell together with them, and I shall rejoice in your ten.

For the prostration of God, the lions of the wilderness, the six, came. After they surrounded you, Joseph, from the face of the child and his mother. Your fasting and your asceticism, like a son, is not in vain. You were thrown to the lions in the field, and as if you were a shepherd there. For you heard the word of a man who is not accustomed to this. In the year one thousand nine hundred and one, the year of mercy for the Son, those who desired the building of the temple composed the praise of your image, Joseph, on a tablet of glory. From whom did the king who then reigned in Ethiopia command? For your testimonies ordered all to be gathered. Salutation to you, as your father, King of Israel, David, said: "The righteous one will bear fruit like a plant; the fruit of your fasting will be eaten in Nazareth." Salutation to you, by the number of Daniel, the son, when he comes after, for the children of Nazareth of Galilee, as you, Joseph, set the bow of the covenant; place us at Golgotha.