St. Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea was the wealthy man who buried Jesus in “his own tomb.” The Gospels tell us that he was a wealthy member of the Sanhedrin who did not consent their condemnation of Jesus (Luke 23: 50-51). He was a secret follower of Jesus who did not make his allegiance known because he feared the Jewish authorities. Arimathea was in Judea and scholars think it may have the same site as Ramatha where the Prophet Samuel was born. Asking Pilate for the Lord’s body was a brave thing to do, for it exposed Joseph as a disciple and he likely was immediately harassed by the Sanhedrin and perhaps expelled from the council. Joseph of Arimathea’s feast is celebrated by the Greek Church on July 31 and the Roman Church celebrates it on March 17. Later legends say that Joseph of Arimathea evangelized Britain around A.D. 63 and that he is an ancestor of British royalty. It is said that he founded a chapel at Glastonbury. Scholars discount much of these stories.