May 1st has long been celebrated around the world as Labor Day. While workers in the United States celebrate Labor Day as a time for relaxation and a last enjoyment of summer fun in early September, in other countries May Day has been a day for political speeches, protests, and marches. The Communists adopted the day as their own.

As Communism continued gathering steam on the international scene, Pope Pius XII sought to Christianize these labor celebrations. After all, Communism zealously attacked and persecuted the Christian faith.

Who better to serve as a model of hard work and religious faith, then Joseph the carpenter?

And so, Pope Pius XII, understanding the false allure that Communism had to workers, decreed in 1955 that May 1st would be celebrated as the Feast of Saint Joseph the Worker.