The Espousals of a Blessed Virgin Mary or Marriage of a Virgin Mary is a Christian feast is celebrated byparts of the Roman Catholic Church such(a) as the Oblates of Saint Joseph. It was formerly broadly observed on January 23, but was removed from many local calendars by the Sacred Congregation of Rites.
The first definite knowledge of a feast in honour of the espousals of Mary dates from August 29, 1517, when with nine other Masses in honour of Mary, it was granted by Leo X to the Nuns of the Annunciation, founded by Saint Jeanne de Valois. In certain specific churches the espousals of the Virgin Mary together with St. Joseph are honoured with an multiple on January 23. The Oblates of St. Joseph celebrate January 23 as the feast of “The Holy Spouses Mary and Joseph”.
Gaspar Bertoni, founder of the Stigmatines, chose Mary and Joseph, in the context of their espousals, as patrons of the Congregation of the Sacred Stigmata.