Saints of the day: Joachim and Anne

Sts. Joachim and Anne were the parents of the Virgin Mary. They were childless, but because of their faith, God blessed them with Mary, the mother of God.

There are no details about Sts. Joachim and Anne in the New Testament, but several of the Church’s traditional beliefs about them can be found in the “Protoevangelium of James.” It is believed that Joachim was a wealthy member of one of the Tribes of Israel, and that he and Anne longed greatly for a child.

Anne and Joachim prayed unfailingly for a child, and an angel is said to have revealed to Anne that she would carry a child who would be known throughout the world.