● Orthodox Remembrance Day: September 9, July 25, December 9
● Name means: the gifted (from Hebrew)
● Mother of Our Lady Mary
● Patroness: mothers and marriage, housewives, nurses, widows, poor, workers, miners,
weavers, tailors, hosiery makers, lace makers, servants, millers, shopkeepers, skippers,
ropemakers, carpenters, turners, goldsmiths, mines, for a happy marriage, for child
blessing and happy birth, for wealth and retrieval of lost things and rain, against gout,
fever, headache, chest and abdominal pain, thunderstorms.
The apocryphal gospels of the 2nd to 6th centuries reveal that Anna and Joachim were the
proud parents of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Proto-Gospel of James, written around 150 in
Syria or Egypt, first recorded this legendary story. Based on the Old Testament account of
Hannah and her son Samuel in 1 Samuel 1-2, this story of Anna and Joachim describes a
marriage that remained childless for twenty years before Mary was born. From the very
beginning, the promises of an angel indicated that Mary was chosen for a special purpose.
According to tradition, Anna was of royal descent and from the family of David, a lineage of
great importance in the history of Israel. No less significant are the details of Anna’s life after
Joachim’s death. The Legenda Aurea suggests that she married two more times, first to
Cleophas, and later to Salomas. The Holy Clan, a notion developed from this tradition, highlights
the importance of family lineage and heritage in the lives of those associated with the birth of
Jesus.
Taken together, these accounts highlight the rich history and significance of Anna and Joachim
in the Christian faith. Their story inspired many believers over the centuries and continues to
offer hope and encouragement to those who trust in God’s promises.
