This is the text of the Apostolic Letter issued by Pope Francis on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the declaration of St. Joseph as Patron of the Catholic Church made by Blessed Pius IX, on December 8, 1870. After Mary, Mother of God, no saint occupies as much space in the papal Magisterium as Joseph, her spouse. Pope Francis' reflections take up the message contained in the few verses of the Gospels about Saint Joseph to further highlight his central role in the history of Salvation: Blessed Pius IX declared him "Patron of the Catholic Church," Venerable Pius XII presented him as "Patron of Workers," and St. John Paul II as "Guardian of the Redeemer." This edition also includes the decree for the Jubilee indulgences, an essay on St. Joseph and the Popes (from Pius IX to Pope Francis), and prayers to St. Joseph. Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first pope from the Americas. Born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958 and was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969. After being his close collaborator, he succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on February 28, 1998, as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. From 2004 to 2008 he was president of the Argentinean Episcopal Conference. On March 13, 2013 he was elected pope during the second day of the Conclave, on the fifth ballot. He chose the name of Francis. Giuseppe Merola (S. Maria Capua Vetere, 1970). Priest of the Archdiocese of Capua, where he directed the Press and Social Communications Office and carries out pastoral activities, since 2012 he has been Editor at Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Graduated in Journalism and Publishing, he obtained a Doctorate in Sciences of Social Communication at the Salesian Pontifical University of Rome.