Saints Anne and Joachim

Sts. Anne and Joachim are the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, grandparents of Jesus. Although there’s no mention of them in Scripture, they appear in multiple written accounts as early as 150 AD.  In an ancient document known as the Protoevangelium of James, The Protoevangelium gives the following account: A wealthy and pious couple from Nazareth named Joachim and Hannah (Anne), were childless. When on a feast day Joachim presented himself to offer sacrifice in the temple, a rabi named Ruben refused to admit him as men without children were considered unworthy to enter. Whereupon Joachim, bowed down with grief, did not return home, but went into the mountains to cry out to God in solitude. Hannah learned the reason of his prolonged absence and wept to the Lord to take away from her the curse of childlessness, promising to dedicate her child to the service of God. Their prayers were heard; an angel came to Hannah and said: "Hannah, the Lord has looked upon thy tears; thou shalt conceive and give birth and the fruit of thy womb shall be blessed by all the world." The angel made the same promise to Joachim, who returned to his wife. Hannah gave birth to a daughter whom she called Miriam (Mary). Dear Sts. Anne and Joachim, you model for us what it means to cry out to God in prayer with love and trust. Intercede for us that we may never tire to turn to our Heavenly Father in our every need. Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.