St. John Joseph of the Cross, March 5
Born on the island of Ischia, John Joseph (1654-1734) joined the Franciscans at 16 and spent most of his life in Naples. He was known for his humility, his gift of counsel and his care for the poor. He was canonized in 1839.
March 5 has no celebration on the General Roman Calendar, so this page follows the Roman Martyrology, which remembers Saint John Joseph of the Cross, priest on this date.
Other saints on March 5
- St. Olivia, martyr of Brescia
Name days on March 5
In countries that keep name days, March 5 is the day for people named Olivia.
| Name | Feast day |
|---|---|
| Olivia | March 5 |
March 5 on the calendar
March 5 is the 64th day of the year (the 65th in a leap year), with 301 days left until December 31. Here is the day of the week it falls on in the coming years:
| Year | Day |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Thursday |
| 2027 | Friday |
| 2028 | Sunday |
| 2029 | Monday |
| 2030 | Tuesday |
Keeping March 5
March 5 falls in winter. Since the general calendar has no celebration that day, the Mass is usually that of the weekday of the season, and the saint may be remembered in local calendars or in personal prayer. Families who keep name days often mark the day with a card, a candle or a favorite meal, and parishes named after the saint may hold a festival. If you know someone named Olivia, it is a good day to send a note.
Saints of the week around March 5
| Date | Saint or feast |
|---|---|
| March 2 | St. Agnes of Bohemia |
| March 3 | St. Katharine Drexel |
| March 4 | St. Casimir |
| March 6 | St. Colette |
| March 7 | Sts. Perpetua and Felicity |
| March 8 | St. John of God |
The day before, March 4, is the day of St. Casimir. The day after, March 6, belongs to St. Colette. Looking for a name? Try the name day calendar or go back to today’s saint.